Xerostomia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Xerostomia, including details on dry mouth, treatment, causes, lack of saliva.

Impact of dry mouth and hyposalivation on oral health-related quality of life of elderly Japanese.

Ikebe K, Matsuda K, Morii K, Wada M, Hazeyama T, Nokubi T, Ettinger RL

Division of Oromaxillofacial Regeneration Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan. ikebe@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of hyposalivation and the perception of dry mouth with oral health-related quality of life for independently living elderly. STUDY DESIGN: The study sample consisted of 287 participants (mean age, 66.1 years) at a Senior Citizen educational system. Stimulated salivary flow rates during chewing were measured. The OHIP-14 to measure the impact of oral conditions on health-related quality of life was used, and summary OHIP-14 scores combining the response codes for the 14 items were analyzed. RESULTS: A logistic regression analysis showed that a higher OHIP-14 score indicating a poorer quality of life was related to fewer residual teeth, perception of dry mouth on eating (OR: 4.01, P = .012) and hyposalivation (OR: 2.71, P = .006). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that both dry mouth and hyposalivation are important problems influencing the quality of life in independently living, relatively healthy elderly Japanese.

Published 19 January 2007 in Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 103(2): 216-22.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Xerostomia Research Today. All Rights Reserved.