Most complaints involve xerostomia or sialorrhea.
Common patient denominators include histories of emotional disturbance, often depression, and ingestion of psychotherapeutic medications. The depression usually manifests itself with suicidal statements, despondency, intensification of the salivary problems as the day progresses and difficulty with sleeping. The patient blames xerostomia for frequent night awakenings when in reality the mental state is the cause. Precipitating factors also include stressful work, social or family situations. Concurrently, many patients will demonstrate other oral conditions thought to have psychogenic aspects- burning mouth, dysgeusia, TMJ problems, masseteric hypertrophy and bruxing and clenching.