What Is Hyposalivation

Xerostomia is the sensation of having a dry mouth. Many (but not all) patients who have this sensation will also have a noticeable and measurable decrease in the amount of saliva in their mouths, a condition referred to as “hyposalivation” or “salivary gland hypofunction”.

What is clinical hyposalivation?

Hyposalivation is the reduction of salivary flow and can be assessed by specific exams, such as sialometry method12,15, while xerostomia is rather a subjective feeling of oral dryness.

What is the difference between xerostomia and hyposalivation?

Most authors agree that xerostomia and hyposalivation are two separate entities: xerostomia denotes the subjective feeling, the symptom, of dry mouth, whereas hyposalivation denotes the sign, a decreased saliva flow rate3,8. The term “dry mouth” has been used to describe both conditions9.