Most commonly, salivary gland dysfunction is caused by medications taken by older adults for other conditions. Xerostomia, the complaint of oral dryness, is a potential side effect of over 400 drugs, many of which are commonly used by older adults. Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune exocrinopathy primarily affecting postmenopausal women, is the most common disease affecting salivary glands in older adults. Other, less frequently observed conditions that affect salivary glands are bacterial infections, sialoliths, trauma,and neoplasms. If the cause is pharmacologic and action is warranted because of oral complications, either reduction of drug levels or use of alternate drugs may be helpful.
Salivary substitutes are helpful in limiting oral problems.
However, palliative therapies may be all that are available. A good set of dentures preserves good appearance, makes adequate nutrition possible, and enables proper enunciation, thus facilitating social interaction. A full denture is a dental appliance that covers the entire jaw ridge where all the natural teeth are missing and replaces them. The full upper denture also covers the hard palate. A removable partial denture restores only the missing teeth.