Chronic dry mouth, or xerostomia, has long been considered a problem of aging. But how common is it? The medical literature contains just one study on the subject, and myriad questions remain about the risk factors, incidence, and natural history of the condition. In the December 2006 issue of Gerodontology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) grantees and colleagues have published a second longitudinal study. It tracked 1,205 dentate adults age 60 and older over several years, with 246 participants being followed for 11 years. The researchers found that the prevalence of xerostomia increased from 21.4% to 24.8% between the fifth and 11th year of the follow-up. However, one quarter of those with xerostomia fluctuated over time in the severity, or status, of their condition. The researchers also carefully tracked the use of medications, a recognized but still nonspecific risk factor for xerostomia. Their use increased throughout the study, with nearly 95% taking at least one medication at the study’s 11-year mark. According to the authors, “While only 2 categories of medication being taken at 11 years were associated with the incidence of xerostomia between 5 and 11 years (antidepressants and daily aspirin), there were stronger associations when only those medications taken since the 5-year assessment were included in the analysis. In this exposure category, xerostomia incidence was greater among those taking diuretics, NSAIDs, antidepressants or daily aspirin.”
(Source: NIDCR, Science News in Brief, accessed February 1, 2007)
