Lack of saliva in the mouth is known as dry mouth or xerostomia. Dry mouth can cause problems with chewing and digesting food, and lead to high levels of acid in the mouth. In turn, this can increase the incidence of oral candidiasis, bacterial infections and tooth decay.

Many mouth infections associated with HIV/AIDS have become less common since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy. However, there is no evidence that prevalence of dry mouth among people with HIV has decreased in the age of HAART.

Causes

There are number of causes of dry mouth among people with HIV. A condition called HIV-associated salivary disease, particularly common in children, may present as dry mouth and swollen salivary glands. Dry mouth may be a side-effect of medications, including ddI and drugs used to treat anxiety and depression. Other causes of dry mouth include: allergies, breathing through the mouth at night, and mouth infections.

What to do

Drinking extra water and chewing sugarless gum may relieve a dry mouth. Brushing teeth regularly is advised to reduce the chance of tooth decay, candidiasis and gum infection.