Caries prevalence in xerostomic individuals

Saliva, via its lubricating, cleansing, remineralizing, antibacterial, and buffering actions, is an important protective factor for both dentition and soft tissue. Xerostomia is commonly found in older individuals due to the use of medications or medical conditions, such as Sjögren's, which directly affect salivary gland function. A xerostomic subgroup (n = 60), mean age = 60, 66 per cent female) of the Nutrition and Oral Health Study (n = 370) was reexamined for caries. Unstimulated and two-per-cent citric-acid stimulated parotid and submandibular/sublingual salivary flow rates were determined. This group was matched for number of teeth, age, sex, and alcohol and smoking habits with a medication-free subgroup (n = 60). Active root and coronal caries were found to be significantly higher in the xerostomic subgroup than in a matched subgroup of medication-free individuals. The mean DFS for the xerostomic subgroup was 45.4 +/- 21.7 for coronal caries and 5.3 +/- 5.8 for root caries. The mean number of teeth was 21.8. The mean DFS in the medication-free subgroup was 36.5 +/- 22.1 for coronal caries and 3.2 +/- 3.2 for root caries. The mean DFS in the xerostomic subgroup for coronal and root caries was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05). The odds ratio was 2.89 for coronal caries and 3.27 for root caries in the xerostomic versus the medication-free subgroup. Caries varied inversely with salivary flow rate. The difference in flow rates for those in the lowest and highest quartile for coronal caries experience (DFS) in the xerostomic subgroup was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)