Palliative Mouth Care : Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) : Helpful Hints

Helpful tips: Sugar-free candy and gum can be helpful if the patient is able to chew and swallow. Puddings or food that is soft and moistened with gravy are more easily swallowed. Even if the patient can only chew and then spit it out, fresh pineapple with its enzymes that break down proteins is effective in cleansing debris in the mouth. Frozen tonic water ice chips are very refreshing. Club soda makes a refreshing mouthwash.

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.