Dental CE Course: Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)

After completing the course, you'll be able to:

1. Describe the antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties of saliva in maintaining oral and systemic health.

2. List conditions and diseases that can cause salivary gland dysfunction.

3. Describe the promising role gene transfer technology may play in repairing diseases or damaged salivary glands.

4. Demonstrate the spitting method of collecting whole saliva.

5. List subjective and objective symptoms of xerostomia.

6. Distinguish the saliva composition and flow rates in healthy and xerostomic individuals.

7. List 8 methods of evaluating salivary function and describe their relative accuracy.

8. Identify at least 6 findings on physical examination that may indicate salivary dysfunction.

9. Discuss the use of whole saliva in the differential diagnosis of Sj'gren's syndrome.

10. Recommend a treatment regimen of 6 specific measures for caries prevention for patients with hyposalivation.

11. Discuss the results of clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness of pilocarpine in improving salivary function in patients with radiation-induced xerostomia.

12. Provide essential information to a patient suffering from dry mouth , such as causes and symptoms of dry mouth, common measures to relieve dryness and oral hygiene steps.