Update on xerostomia: current treatment modalities and future trends.

This article discusses some of the current treatment modalities available to those who suffer from xerostomia and looks at some therapies currently being explored to ameliorate the condition. With the number of elderly patients in the U.S. population expected to increase--concomitant with the increase in incidence of xerostomia in this group as well as other special patient population groups (that is, postradiation, Sjogren's syndrome, and so forth)--it is increasingly important that dentists maintain an awareness of the clinical implications of xerostomia and a knowledge of appropriate treatment recommendations.