Modern approaches to the diagnosis of xerostomia

Abstract

Relevance. Xerostomia is a common problem that significantly deteriorates patients’ quality of life and contributes to the development of hard dental tissue diseases and inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa. The study aimed to determine the informative value of xerostomia diagnosis methods.Material and methods. The study examined 45 people, namely, 36 patients with xerostomia and 9 relatively healthy individuals aged 38 to 64 years old. Prior radiation therapy, type 2 diabetes mellitus and medications caused xerostomia. Patients had a standard dental examination, repetitive saliva swallowing test (RSST); clinical oral dryness score (CODS) and stimulated and unstimulated salivation flow rates were determined, salivary short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were measured and the BANA test was done.Results. The RSST, CODS, stimulated and unstimulated salivation showed significant differences between relatively healthy individuals and patients with xerostomia. The measurement of SCFA concentrations revealed significant differences in the acetic acid concentration (switching point is 0.376 mg/g), the concentration of all isoacids (switching point is 0.010 mg/g) and the anaerobic index (switching point is 0.248 units). Total concentration of isoacids and anaerobic index values significantly differed by xerostomia causes. The RSST result below 7 indicated the risk of xerostomia development.Conclusion. A complex of clinical and laboratory methods allows for the effective detection of changes in the condition of patients with dry mouth and the personalization of prognosis and treatment.