Study Finds Botulinum Toxin Effective in Treating Parotitis

According to researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia, botulinum toxin, known commercially as Botox, may be useful for treating parotitis. Results from the case study, “Botulinum Toxin for the Management of Sjögren Syndrome- Associated Recurrent Parotitis,” were published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The research focused on a 65-year-old woman with Sjögren syndrome who had experienced weekly bouts of parotitis for 10 years. The subject was given botulinum toxin injections at threeand four-month intervals. The team reports the patient had no signs or symptoms of parotitis at the 36-month follow-up, leading the authors to conclude, “botulinum toxin is a safe and effective alternative to surgical management of recurrent parotitis due to Sjögren syndrome.”

From Decisions in Dentistry. March 2017;3(3):10.