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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffHere's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what you can expect from your doctor or dentist.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that initially may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all prescribed medications, vitamins, supplements and over-the-counter medications that you're taking.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor or dentist is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor or dentist may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous, or occasional?
- Have you started taking any new medications recently?
- Do you smoke or chew tobacco?
- Does anything improve your symptoms or stimulate your saliva flow?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
What you can do in the meantime
Try frequently sipping water or chewing sugar-free gum to increase your saliva. Also, be sure to brush your teeth regularly to help prevent cavities. If you use tobacco, quitting will likely improve your signs and symptoms.
- Dry mouth. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/DryMouth/DryMouth.htm. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Xerostomia. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch089/ch089h.html?qt=dry%20mouth&alt=sh. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Guggenheimer J, et al. Xerostomia: Etiology, recognition and treatment. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2003;134:61.
- Turner MD, et al. Dry mouth and its effects on the oral health of elderly people. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2007;138(suppl):15S.
- Eveson JW. Xerostomia. Periodontology 2000. 2008;48:85.
- Metz JM, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingston Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/123562883-3/811434297/1709/40.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06694-8..50039-7--cesec15_994. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Carr AB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Rochester, Minn. March 4, 2009.
