This assignment displays the importance of technical writing and defining words specialized to a particular field that may require in-depth explanation depending on the intended audience. This definition selection also conveys which type of definition to select to accommodate a variety of consumption options and audiences.
Purpose: A dental hygienist is explaining a term about a client’s oral health condition that increases their risk for cavities.
Parenthetical definition: You have xerostomia (dry mouth) which can cause more cavities.
Sentence definition:
| Term | Class | Distinguishing Factors |
| Xerostomia | excessive dryness of the mouth… | caused by an abnormal lack of saliva due to disease, medications, or blockage. |
Expanded definition:
Xerostomia (excessively dry mouth) is a medical term that derives from two Greek words Xeros meaning dry, and Stoma, meaning mouth. This oral condition is not the same as a dry mouth that everyone can experience occasionally. Instead, this condition is an excessively dry mouth that can lead to oral health problems caused by a lack of normal salivary flow or production by the salivary glands. Saliva production occurs within the salivary glands located in our cheeks and under the tongue. The saliva flows through ducts (tube-like passages) into openings in our mouths. Saliva is a normal part of a healthy mouth and is required to prevent oral infections, eat, swallow, prevent cavities, and keep mouth tissues hydrated.
The following visuals accompany the description of salivary gland parts and complications of a dry mouth.
Figure 1 Evidence of Xerostomia
Source: Monroe Family Dental. Dry mouth treatment.
Parotid salivary gland. Submandibular salivary gland. Sublingual salivary gland. Vector illustration on isolated background.
Figure 2 Salivary gland locations
Source: Mikrostoker. Parotid salivary gland submandibular salivary gland.
Works Cited:
- (2021, January 7).Parotid salivary gland submandibular salivary vector image on VectorStock. VectorStock. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/parotid-salivary-gland-submandibular-salivary-vector-35416035
- The Team at Monroe Family Dentistry. (2020, March 23).Dry mouth (xerostomia) treatment: Monroe family dentist. Monroe Family Dentistry. Retrieved June 7, 2022,from https://monroefamilydentistrync.com/dry-mouth-prevention-tips/
- Online Etymology Dictionary. (n.d.).Xeros: Search Online Etymology Dictionary. Etymology. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=xeros
- Online Etymology Dictionary. (n.d.).Stoma: Search online etymology dictionary. Etymology. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=stoma
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018, February 1).Dry mouth. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases conditions/dry-mouth/symptoms-causes/syc-20356048
- (n.d.).CDHO factsheet xerostomia. CDHO Fact Sheet Xerostomia. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://www.cdho.org/Advisories/CDHO_Factsheet_Xerostomia.pdf
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