Management
Table 1. Definitions Related to Dysfunction of the Salivary Glands
Salivary gland
hypofunction
Reduced salivary flow rate as measured objectively. Saliva flow rate is
considered low when <0.2 ml/min for unstimulated whole saliva.
Hyposalivation Pathologic low saliva secretion, commonly defined as an unstimulated
whole saliva flow rate of ≤0.1 ml/min and/or a stimulated whole saliva
flow rate of ≤0.7 ml/min measured by sialometry.
Xerostomia Patient-reported, subjective sensation of oral dryness. While xerostomia
most frequently occurs when the unstimulated whole saliva flow rate
is reduced by about 45%–50% of the normal secretion of that person,
there are no specific threshold levels of salivary flow rate that characterize
xerostomia. e degree of xerostomia may be affected by factors other
than salivary flow rates.
Whole saliva Derives from the major salivary glands (the parotid, submandibular, and
sublingual glands, which account for 90% of the saliva secretion) and the
minor salivary glands (which account for the remaining 10%).
