Salivary flow and its relationship to oral signs and symptoms in patients with dry eyes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate oral symptoms and clinical parameters in dry eye patients. Subjective reports of the sensation of a dry mouth, salivary flow rates, and clinical parameters of oral disease related to three different types of dry eye patients were examined.


METHODS
There were 224 individuals, including dry eye patients and control subjects. The dry eye patients were classified into three types: patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS-DE), patients without SS-DE (non-SS-DE), and patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS-DE). Salivary flow rates were measured using two kinds of sialometry. Subjective and objective oral symptoms and signs were also examined.


CONCLUSIONS
Over half of the dry eye patients complained of a dry mouth. The flow rates of their stimulated whole saliva and parotid saliva were significantly lower than those of the control groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The sensation of a dry mouth and changes in oral soft tissues, dental caries, and oral Candida frequently occurred in dry eye patients.
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. koseki@tdc.ac.jp
M
M
Koseki
Y
Y
Maki
T
T
Matsukubo
Y
Y
Ohashi
K
K
Tsubota
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002613:Cheilitis / Q000150:complications; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012636:Secretory Rate; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000150:complications*