Beneficial Effects of Natural Products on Management of Xerostomia

Xerostomia, the subjective feeling of oral dryness, is a symptom most frequently accompanied by either decreased salivary flow or an altered composition of saliva. Hyposalivation, on the other hand, is the objective measured reduction in salivary flow rate. Xerostomia is a relatively common complaint, particularly among older people, and can lead to major consequences with regard to the quality of their general and oral health and wellbeing. Xerostomia has a variety of possible etiological factors; it is generally classified as having primary and secondary causes. Primary causes comprise conditions that directly affect the salivary glands and induce xerostomia like, Sjogren's syndrome, diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2, thyroid disease, adrenal pathology, renal or hepatic diseases, hepatitis C virus infection, and HIV disease.