AAID Associate Fellow Practice Exam

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a common side effect associated with various medications, and psychoactive drugs such as phenothiazines are known to cause this condition. Phenothiazines, commonly used to treat psychiatric disorders, work by altering the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly dopamine. This alteration can affect the salivary glands, leading to reduced saliva production and consequently dry mouth.

While other types of medications, like antidepressants and certain pain relief medications, can also lead to dry mouth as a side effect, the specific mention of phenothiazines highlights their well-documented impact on salivary gland function and moisture levels in the mouth. This makes them a classic example of drugs that can result in xerostomia.

Antibiotics are primarily designed to fight infections, and although they can lead to imbalances in oral flora or other effects, they are not typically associated with causing dry mouth in the same definitive manner as psychoactive drugs.