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Impact of Medications and Marijuana Use on Hyposalivation and Xerostomia in Adults
Carter Gehlken1, Moni Ahmadian2, Neamat Hassan Abubakr3
1School of Dental Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA.
Background/Objectives:
Hyposalivation is a prevalent yet underrecognized factor contributing to oral health deterioration, often influenced by systemic disease, medication use, and recreational drug exposure. With rising use of mental health and cardiovascular medications, as well as increasing marijuana use among younger populations, there is a need to assess real-world data on xerostomia and hyposalivation prevalence and associated risk factors. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hyposalivation and xerostomia, and its etiological associations among adult patients at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Dental Medicine Clinics.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using electronic health record (EHR) data from 1600 randomly selected patients aged 30 years and older, treated between 1 January 2014, and 31 May 2023. Data on demographics, medical and social history, medication use, and oral health status were extracted. Hyposalivation was identified via chart review, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze associated risk factors.
Results:
Hyposalivation and xerostomia were identified in 705 patients (44.06%). Marijuana use was the strongest independent predictor across all age groups (RR = 3.10, p < 0.05). Among patients aged 30-35, use of antihypertensive (OR = 3.05, p < 0.05) and mental health medications (OR = 1.81, p < 0.05) were significantly associated with hyposalivation. A strong correlation was also found between hyposalivation and elevated caries risk (χ2 = 205.99, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Hyposalivation and xerostomia are increasingly observed in younger adults, linked to pharmacological and behavioral factors.
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