Tag: Salivary gland

Dry mouth, or xerostomia, affects a significant percentage of adults, ranging from 5.5 to 46%. For individuals with a partially functioning salivary gland, pilocarpine is a medication prescribed to alleviate symptoms. Understanding **what is the mechanism of action of pilocarpine for dry mouth?** provides insight into how this powerful treatment stimulates natural saliva production.

Acute bacterial parotitis, a bacterial infection of the salivary glands, is most commonly caused by *Staphylococcus aureus*. In these cases, is cephalexin used for parotitis as a primary treatment? The answer is yes, but only when the cause is bacterial, as antibiotics are ineffective against viral or non-infectious causes.