What is the treatment for Botox-induced dry mouth?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have an extremely dry mouth with no saliva at all. I have been seeing a rheumatologist because I thought the dry mouth was from Sjogren's, and so did they. But I just got a lip biopsy, which said it is not due to Sjogren. The only thing I can think of is that this all happened about one month after a Botox treatment for masseter muscles to alleviate teeth grinding.

I think they could have accidentally injected the parotid glands or the submandibular nerve, as it is about one cm away from the masseter muscles. But it has been almost two months since that treatment now. Currently, I am taking Duloxetine, Xanax, Ambien, and Evoxac. Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your query. May I please ask you a bit more about your symptoms:

Has this been the first episode of dryness?
If you think it is related to the Botox injection, then how many days following the injection did you start feeling dry mouth?
What was the reason for the injection in that area? Do you have any other underlying medical conditions?

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Dry mouth is one of the rare side effects that one can have following the Botox injection, but it is transient and gets better in a few days. Very rarely, it can persist for a few months. The persistence of this side effect has been reported in very few cohorts of patients in the literature. At this point, I would suggest drinking lots of fluids and soft foods like yogurts and soups and having frequent mouthwashes in order to replenish the dry mucosa. It may also help in the regeneration of nerve endings to improve your symptoms. Do you have any trouble swallowing? If the symptoms do not improve for another month or so or get worse, then I would suggest going back to your surgeon or physician.

I hope it helps. Best wishes.