Agents Affecting Salivation

Saliva plays a vital role in protecting the soft and the hard tissues and in such functions as taste, mastication and deglutition. Excessive saliva can however complicate the performance of dental procedures. Chronic hypersalivation can cause psychological problems and both local and systemic disorders.

Special dental considerations

• To control salivation when performing restorative dentistry, the dentist should time the drug administration so that the peak effect occurs when the dry operation is most needed. Thus, anticholinergics should be given 60-90 minutes before taking the impression or placement of restorations.The analogues of glycopyrrolate or propanthaline is 45-75 minutes.

Patient advice

• Patients should be aware of the potential side effects such as: Dryness of the mouth, nose and throat; difficulty of swallowing and inhibition of sweating.
• Parents should be warned of the potential for hyperthermia in small children, especially when they are overdressed.
• Tasks requiring alertness and coordination should be avoided, because of the possible psychomotor impairment after the use of scopalamine.