[The usefulness of an oral moisture checking device (Moisture Checker for Mucus)].
OBJECTIVE
An oral moisture checking device is easy to use for the examination of oral dryness during clinical procedures. This study examined the usefulness of an oral moisture checking device.


METHODS
The subjects in the examination of factors that influence the measured value of the oral moisture checking device were 16 sound adults (mean age 27.5). The subjects in the examination of measuring the moisture of sound adults were 32 adults (mean age 24.4). In the factors that influence the measured value of the device, the measuring pressure was examined by comparing the measured value with a trial stopper and without the stopper. The factor of sensor cover was examined by comparing the measured value before and after changing the sensor cover. The factor of device was examined by comparing the measured value using the two devices. The moisture of sound adults was measured at the lingual mucosa and buccal mucosa.


RESULTS
The measured value with a trial stopper was lower by 0.2-0.3% than that without the stopper. The measured value differed before and after changing the sensor cover by 0.5-0.8%. The measured value was not different among devices. The mean value of the moisture of sound adults was 30.6+/-0.3% at the lingual mucosa, and 30.9+/-0.3% at the buccal mucosa.


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement errors of the oral moisture checking device were within 1% under the condition of proper measuring pressure. Additionally, the moisture of sound adults converged toward definite values. The results of this study suggested that the oral moisture checking device is useful for the examination of xerostomia.
Takahashi
Fumi
F
Department of Complete Denture, The Nippon Dental University School of Dentistry at Niigata, 951-8580 Niigata. fumichan@ngt.ndu.ac.jp
Koji
Toshiaki
T
Morita
Osami
O
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000175:diagnosis*