Patient selection criteria for electrostimulation of salivary production in the treatment of xerostomia secondary to Sjogren's syndrome.

Electrostimulation has been introduced as a technique for increasing salivary output in the treatment of patients with xerostomia (dry mouth) secondary to Sjogren's syndrome. The procedure uses an electrostimulation device (salivation electrostimulator) to increase salivary production from existing glandular tissue. The device delivers a low-voltage electrical stimulus to the mouth via a probe. Patients with residual salivary tissue in the oral and pharyngeal regions who demonstrate a decrease in the flow rate of saliva are potential candidates for this procedure. It is estimated that more than one million people in the United States, predominantly middle-aged and elderly women, suffer from Sjogren's syndrome. Patients with chronic xerostomia complain of a continual feeling of oral dryness and have difficulty eating dry foods. These patients are susceptible to increased caries, oral pain, infection, and have difficulty speaking, chewing, and swallowing. The approach to the treatment of xerostomia in Sjogren's patients is usually determined by the level of severity of the symptoms. Appropriate management of patients with xerostomia requires that those patients whose salivary flow can be increased by means of sialagogues be distinguished from those patients whose salivary flow is either unaffected or insufficiently stimulated. To alleviate some of the complications due to salivary dysfunction in those patients who respond to stimuli, pharmacologic sialagogues as well as sialagogues that include sugarless gums, mints and candies are prescribed in order to increase salivary flow. Recently, electrostimulation via a hand-held stimulus probe has been introduced as a method of treatment in xerostomia secondary to Sjogren's syndrome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)