Treating The Causes Of The Oral Dryness

Since dry mouth is caused by many things, it should not be surprising that there are different ways to treat  it. If your physician or dentist can determine the cause of your oral dryness, he/she may be able to provide you with a specific cure. The trouble is, this is easier said than done.

If the dryness is due to drugs, it may be possible for your doctor to advise you to stop taking those drugs, reduce their intake or switch to another “less drying” medication. Sometimes, especially, in life threatening diseases, it may not be possible to change a patient’s drug intake pattern.. If the dryness is due to a specific disease, e.g. diabetes, proper treatment of the disease will decrease the intensity of your oral symptoms. Occasionally, we do not know the causes of the diseases which produce dry mouth. This, for example,  is the case with Sjögren’s Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. In such cases, we try to relieve the symptoms of the disease  rather than treat the disease itself.

Mechanism In Saliva Production Could Lead To Advanced Therapies For Patients With Dry Mouth

University of Louisville researchers are one step closer to helping millions of people whose salivary glands no longer work because of disease or damage from treatment of diseases.

The scientific finding of Douglas Darling, PhD, professor, Department of Oral Health and Rehabilitation, UofL School of Dentistry, and his team identified a protein sorting mechanism used by the salivary gland. The National Institutes of Health supported study published on-line first this week in the Journal of Dental Research.

The scientific discovery could form the basis for advanced therapies for patients whose salivary glands are damaged or no longer function due to radiation therapy, prescription drugs or Sjogren's Syndrome - an immune system disorder often defined by its two most common symptoms - dry eyes and a dry mouth.

The salivary glands are essential for lubrication, defense and beginning digestion in the mouth. The largest of the salivary glands - the parotid - secretes important proteins into the saliva. As with all salivary glands, it has multiple secretion pathways, therefore it must sort proteins destined for saliva into the correct pathway for secretion. This can be tricky as there are seven possible pathways. One pathway takes proteins to the salivary duct, other pathways carry different proteins to the 'back' side of the cell to be secreted into the blood or to form a supportive matrix for the cells. Transport along these pathways occurs by sorting the proteins into vesicles (hollow membrane sacs) that carry their "cargo" to the correct destination.

Dry Mouth - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

What Causes Dry Mouth?

   -  Side effect of certain medications. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma (certain bronchodilators), and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth can also a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives.

   -  Side effect of certain diseases and infections. Dry mouth can be a side effect of medical conditions, including Sjögren's syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and mumps.

 

  -  Side effect of certain medical treatments. Damage to the salivary glands, the glands that produce saliva, for example, from radiation to the head and neck and chemotherapy treatments for cancer, can reduce the amount of saliva produced.

   -  Nerve damage. Dry mouth can be a result of nerve damage to the head and neck area from an injury or surgery.

   -  Dehydration . Conditions that lead to dehydration, such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry mouth.

   -  Surgical removal of the salivary glands.

  - Lifestyle. Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production and aggravate dry mouth. Continuously breathing with your mouth open can also contribute to the problem.