The nurse is assessing the patient and notices that the oral cavity is only slightly moist and contains a scant amount of thick saliva even though the patient's fluid intake has been sufficient.The nurses realizes that the condition of the patient's mouth is probably caused by

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Saliva is the major secretion of the oropharynx and is produced by three pairs of salivary glands: submaxillary,sublingual,and parotid.Stimuli such as sight,smell,thoughts,and taste of food stimulate salivary gland secretion.Parasympathetic stimulation promotes a copious secretion of watery saliva.Conversely,sympathetic stimulation produces a scant output of thick saliva.The normal daily secretion of saliva is 1200 mL.

The Nurse Is Assessing the Patient and Notices That the Oral