Herbal therapeutics
Natural remedies for the dry mouth associated with non-functioning salivary glands
Abstract
Persistent
xerostomia may be encountered in a substantial number of patients
particularly head and neck cancer patients who received radiation, and
patients with Sjogren's syndrome. Unfortunately many of these patients
have lost all salivary function due to the irreversible destruction of
salivary gland parenchyma. Management of this problem becomes palliative
and requires the administration of salivary substitutes. This review
considers the evidence regarding natural salivary substitutes that may
be used to relieve severe dry mouth associated with irreversible damage
of salivary glands.
Keywords
- Saliva substitutes;
- Herbal;
- Natural;
- Dry mouth;
- Sjogren's syndrome;
- Radiotherapy
Copyright © 2015 Published by Elsevier GmbH
