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Article: Dry Mouth
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Dry mouth
Definition
Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy.
Description
Dry mouth due to the lack of saliva can be a serious medical problem. Decreased salivation can make swallowing difficult, decrease taste sensation, and promote tooth decay.
Causes & symptoms
Dry mouth, resulting from thickened or reduced saliva flow, can be caused by a number of factors: medications, both prescription and over-the-counter; systemic diseases, such as
anemia
or diabetes, manifestations of syndromes such as
rheumatoid arthritis
, lupus, chronic hardening and thickening of the skin, or chronic and progressive ...