Managing a dry mouth in primary care

Hayes, Emma
Singarayer, Soniya

Emma Hayes BA, BM BCh, BDS, MRCSEd, FDS(OM) RCSEd Consultant in Oral Medicine, King’s College Hospital, London, UK
Soniya Singarayer BDS (Hons) (Lond), BSc (Hons), AKC Dental Core Trainee, Birmingham Dental Hospital, Birmingham, UK

Primary Dental Journal 14(2):p 58-65, June 2025. | DOI: 10.1177/20501684251351115

Xerostomia, or a feeling of a dry mouth, is a common condition affecting just over a quarter of the population. A reduction in salivary flow can have a significant functional impact on patients. This paper reviews the most common causes of a dry mouth, the role of saliva in normal function, as well as the actions that can be taken by the primary dental care team to help support oral function.