Chewing Gum May Alleviate Degree of Thirst in Patients on Hemodialysis

Background and Objectives: Fluid restriction commonly causes dry mouth in patients on hemodialysis (HD). The observed effects of chewing gum on the amount of saliva, interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), and degree of thirst in patients on HD have been inconsistent. We investigated whether chewing gum can modulate these three parameters in patients on HD. Materials and Methods: We used purposive sampling to enroll 37 patients on HD who were then randomly divided into the chewing gum group (n = 19) and the control (non-chewing gum) group (n = 18). The degree of thirst was assessed using a self-rated visual analog scale (VAS) and a summated xerostomia inventory (SXI), respectively. Results: The degree of thirst after dialysis was significantly lower in the chewing gum group than in the control group. The amount of saliva was higher in the chewing gum group than in the control group before dialysis, but the saliva amount was comparable between the groups after dialysis. Furthermore, the amount of saliva was not associated with IDWG in patients on HD before or after dialysis. Conclusions: Chewing gum may alleviate the feeling of thirst but may not affect the amount of saliva and IDWG in patients on HD. Therefore, we suggest that chewing gum may be a useful approach to improve dry mouth and thirst in patients on HD.