Dental Patients' Self-reports of Xerostomia and Associated Risk Factors

Background: Most studies regarding xerostomia focus on elderly people. Therefore, the authors conducted a study of dental patients 18 years or older to determine the prevalence of self-reported xerostomia and associated risk factors.

Methods: The authors sent a total of 2,200 questionnaires to four dental clinics to assess patients' self-reported xerostomia. They also collected sociodemographic data and information regarding personal behavior. They used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CI) to explore the relationship between self-reported xerostomia and risk factors that reasonably might be expected to be associated with self-reported xerostomia.

Results: The overall prevalence of xerostomia in participants was 7 percent. Participants with burning-mouth sensations were associated with having higher odds of experiencing dry mouth (OR, 2.1; 95 percent CI, 0.9-5.2). Participants 51 years or older were significantly more likely to report having dry mouth than were younger participants (P < .04). The prevalence of self-reported xerostomia increased with increasing numbers of medications patients reported using.

Conclusion: The authors found that medication use and age were highly significant risk factors for dental patients reporting xerostomia.

Clinical Implications: Clinicians should interview their patients carefully regarding their use of medications and provide proper oral health care to improve xerostomia resulting from medication use.