Nicole Greco, BSDH, MA, is director of the dental hygiene program at Baker College in Auburn Hills, Michigan. She has also taught dental hygiene students at New York University College of Dentistry in New York and served as director of the dental hygiene program at Fortis Institute in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Fluoride therapy, in addition to adjunctive over-the-counter remedies, can help patients with xerostomia relieve the dry mouth symptoms and reduce their risk of decay.
Dental hygienists have much to offer patients undergoing radiation to the head and neck regions and chemotherapy treatments, who have a dramatically increased risk of xerostomia.