[Drug-induced xerostomia]

Abstract

Hyposalivation is related to decreased salivary flow, with xerostomia as an ultimate degree. Prolonged severe hyposalivation or xerostomia may induce oral pain, poor tolerance to dentures, loss in taste acuity and increased incidence of oral infections: gingivitis, periodontitis, oral candidosis, infectious sialadenitis and multiple dental caries. Most of the time hyposalivation is a reversible drug-induced side-effect. Hyposalivation is frequent, particularly in elderly people with numerous drugs prescribed on a long-term continuous basis, and in psychiatric patients. It remains a neglected clinical problem. Besides the well-known antimuscarinics, antihistaminics, imipraminic antidepressants and phenothiazic neuroleptics, many drugs may induce hyposalivation. This work aims to review drug-induced xerostomia in 1997 (French pharmacopeae), and high-risk associations.