Radiation-induced salivary dysfunction: clinical course and significance.

Salivary gland dysfunction commonly occurs as a result of radiation therapy for cancers of the head and neck region. The effect of radiation on salivary glands is immediate and predictable. Histologic and sialochemical studies indicate both the acini and ducts are affected. The extent of salivary dysfunction is primarily determined by the radiation field and dose. Radiation-induced salivary dysfunction is permanent and leads to a host of clinical sequelae, both oral and systemic.