Dry Eyes and Mouth

Okay. As a cause of mouth dryness, dehydration is among the most reversible; that is, it's often easy to fix: drink more fluids (unless you were instructed not to do so by your doctors). If you have an underlying medical condition that makes you prone to repeated or chronic dehydration -- such as diabetes or colitis with chronic diarrhea -- treatment of the underlying condition, rather than specific treatment of dry mouth, tends to help the most. Talk to your doctor about how you might better avoid dehydration.

One more question, this one is about the parotid gland, which is located just below the ear, in front of the jaw, and is one of the major salivary glands.

Have you ever had enlargement of the parotid gland? It may have been called parotitis, or inflammation of the parotid gland. Yes, but only on one side. Yes, both salivary glands have been enlarged. Nope, never had an enlarged salivary gland.

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Date Last Reviewed: 6/1/2006 Date Last Modified: 5/25/2006 Source: from Harvard Health Decision Guides, Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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