Table 1.

Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) for dry mouth.

CTCAE term	Grade 1	Grade 2	Grade 3	Grade 4	Grade 5
Dry mouth	Symptomatic (e.g., dry, or thick saliva) without significant dietary alteration; unstimulated saliva flow >0.2 ml/min	Moderate symptoms: oral intake alterations (e.g., copious water, other lubricants, diet limited to purees and/or soft, moist foods); unstimulated saliva 0.1 to 0.2 ml/min	Inability to adequately aliment orally; tube feeding or TPN indicated; unstimulated saliva <0.1 ml/min	*	*

TNP, Total parental nutrition.

*No applicable. Grade 4 refers to life-threatening consequences; urgent intervention indicated. Grade 5 refers death related to AE.

The CTCAE displays Grades 1 through 5 with unique clinical descriptions of severity for each AE. Dry mouth is categorized under gastrointestinal disorders with Grade 1–3 severity of symptoms [12].