Xerostomia in 75-85-year-olds: A longitudinal population study

Xerostomia can pose significant problems for many elderly people.

To investigate longitudinal changes in prevalence, persistence, progression, remission and incidence of xerostomia from age 75 to 85 years.

All 75-year-olds (born 1932) from two Swedish counties, Sweden were mailed a questionnaire in 2007 (N = 5195), and again in 2017 when they were aged 85 (N = 3323). The total response rates at ages 75 and 85 years were 71.9% and 60.8%, respectively. A 'panel', those who participated in both surveys, comprised 1701 individuals (response rate 51.2%).

At age 85, there was almost a doubling of self-reported 'yes often' xerostomia compared with age 75 (from 6.2% to 11.3%) and was almost twice as common in women than men (p < .001). When combining 'yes often'/'yes sometimes', xerostomia increased from 33.4% to 49.0%, and was more so among women (p < .001). Xerostomia was commoner at night than daytime, with 23.4% reporting 'yes often' night-time xerostomia at 85 compared with 18.5% at 75, and was also higher in women (p < .001). Progression rates for daytime and night-time xerostomia were 34.2% and 38.1%, for persistence 67.4% and 68.6%, and for remission 24.4% and 16.5%. Average yearly incidence was higher in women than men for both daytime (3.6% vs. 3.2%) and night-time (3.9% vs. 3.7%). Regression analyses predicted protective factors for developing xerostomia reported at age 75 as good general and oral health, absence of medications/intraoral symptom/s, good chewing function and social interaction.

Xerostomia increases markedly from age 75 to 85 years.