Differential Diagnosis for Dry Mouth

• Single most likely diagnosis:
  • Medication side effect (e.g., anticholinergics, antidepressants, antihistamines): Many common medications can cause dry mouth as a side effect, making this a likely diagnosis given the high prevalence of medication use.
• Other Likely diagnoses:
  • Dehydration: Inadequate fluid intake or excessive fluid loss can lead to dehydration, which often presents with dry mouth.
  • Sjögren's syndrome: An autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the glands that produce tears and saliva, leading to dry mouth and dry eyes.
  • Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to dry mouth due to increased glucose levels in the saliva and decreased saliva production.
  • Anxiety or stress: Can cause decreased saliva production, leading to dry mouth.
• Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.):
  • Sarcoidosis: A systemic granulomatous disease that can affect the salivary glands, leading to dry mouth.
  • HIV/AIDS: Can cause dry mouth due to the disease itself or as a side effect of antiretroviral therapy.
  • Lymphoma: Certain types of lymphoma can affect the salivary glands, leading to dry mouth.
• Rare diagnoses:
  • Amyloidosis: A condition characterized by the deposition of abnormal proteins (amyloid) in various tissues, including the salivary glands, which can lead to dry mouth.
  • Hemochromatosis: A genetic disorder that leads to iron overload, which can affect the salivary glands and cause dry mouth.
  • Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): A complication of stem cell or bone marrow transplantation that can affect the salivary glands, leading to dry mouth.