Manage drug-induced dry mouth with drug regimen changes, lifestyle interventions and topical or oral symptom-relieving products

Abstract

Drug-induced dry mouth (i.e. xerostomia and hyposalivation) has negative effects on general and oral health, as well as on health-related quality of life, and can lead to potentially serious complications. Options for treatment include changing the regimen of the causative drug, lifestyle interventions (e.g. increasing fluid intake and improving dental care), topical symptom-relieving products (e.g. oral moisturizers, salivary substitutes and salivary stimulators) and/or oral drugs with cholinergic salivation-stimulating properties (e.g. cevimeline and pilocarpine).