Palliative Mouth Care : Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) : Risk Factors

• mouth breathing (e.g. dyspnea, nasal obstruction, oxygen delivered by nasal prongs)
• taking nothing orally (no stimulation of salivary flow)
• decreased functional performance, therefore unable to do own oral hygiene
• unable to take oral fluids without help
• history of head and neck radiation
• medications (e.g., anticholinergics, antihistamines, phenothiazines, anti-depressants, opioids, beta-blockers, diuretics, etc.)
• fever
• physiological changes associated with aging

Clinical presentation of dry mouth
Risk factors
Objectives for care
Management of dry mouth
Helpful hints
Medications
References
Credits

Content for this flash card was provided by Pippa Hall, MD and Jay Lynch, RN; Curriculum Interchange Format CIF presentation methodology provided by Growth House, Inc.. For full credits click here.