Question

A nurse is caring for a client who has Parkinson's disease and is taking benztropine. When the client reports a dry mouth, which of the following recommendations should the nurse make?

1) Increase intake of high-fiber foods
2) Chew sugarless gum
3) Moisten the mouth with lemon-glycerin swabs
4) Rinse the mouth with nystatin

Answer 1

For a Parkinson's disease client taking benztropine and experiencing dry mouth, chewing sugarless gum is recommended, as it helps stimulate saliva production safely.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a client who has Parkinson's disease and is taking benztropine reports a dry mouth, the nurse should recommend that the client chew sugarless gum. This is because sugarless gum can stimulate saliva production without contributing to tooth decay, offering relief from dry mouth without unwanted side effects. Other options like lemon-glycerin swabs can be too harsh and drying, increasing discomfort, and rinsing with nystatin is used to treat fungal infections, not as a solution for drug-induced dry mouth.