Dry Mouth (Xerostomia): Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

• General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
  • Inspection (viewing).
    • Skin and mucous membranes [symptoms:
      • Sticking of the tongue to the mucous membranes.
      • Oral mucosa is atrophic, reddened and sensitive to pain
      • Strong bad breath (foetor ex ore)
      • Dry, cracked lips
      • Bleeding gums and tongue
      • Tongue surface reddened, strongly furrowed; possibly also indentations and cracks.
      • Teeth: after years of dry mouth, they may be decayed or demineralized]
• ENT medical examination – including epipharyngoscopy (reflection of the nasopharynx) [due todifferential diagnoses:
  • Parosmia (olfactory and olfactory disorder).
  • Pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat)
  • Rhinitis (nasal catarrh, rhinitis)]
• Dental examination – oral and mucosal status (mucosal findings), teeth and periodontal (periodontal) [due todifferential diagnoses/consequential diseases:
  • Caries – due to the lack of saliva, its protective effect on the dental hard tissues is also lost, so that increased caries occurs.
  • Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).
  • Periodontitis – infectious, inflammatory disease of the periodontium (periodontium) with gum recession]