A Salivary Pacemaker:: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Xerostomia patients

Oral dryness and hypo-function of salivary glands are the symptoms of xerostomia consequential from decreased flow of saliva. The primary causes of dryness of mouth are local as well as systemic conditions, old age, smoking, few medical disorders, and autoimmune disorders. Salivary gland disorders like Sarcoidosis, HIV infection, infection with hepatitis C, biliary cirrhosis (primary) and type I & II diabetes mellitus and rare causes like hemo-chromatosis, amyloidosis, Wegener's disease, agenesis of salivary gland and iatrogenic causes like drugs, and chemotherapy, local radiation, and chronic graft vs. host disease. Therefore the holistic management of salivary disorders is identification of underlying pathophysiology is vital and needs attention.