answer:Certain cancer treatments can affect the salivary glands. Head and neck radiation therapy can cause the glands to produce little or no saliva. Chemotherapy may cause the salivary glands to produce thicker saliva, which makes the mouth feel dry and sticky.

answer:Some diseases affect the salivary glands. Sjgren's syndrome and diabetes can cause dry mouth. Injury to the head or neck can damage the nerves that tell salivary glands to make saliva.

answer:Sjgren's Syndrome Clinic National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Building 10, Room 1N113 10 Center Drive MSC 1190 Bethesda, MD 20892-1190 301-435-8528 http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/NIDCRLaboratories/ MolecularPhysiology/SjogrensSyndrome/default.htm

answer:For information about the clinical trial on this topic, visit: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00372320?order=1. If you would like to read an interview with Dr. Bruce Baum, the study's principal investigator, click on: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/ ResearchResults/InterviewsOHR/TIS032007.htm.