The impact of xerostomia on oral-health-related quality of life among younger adults.
BACKGROUND
Recent research has suggested that chronic dry mouth affects the day-to-day lives of older people living in institutions. The condition has usually been considered to be a feature of old age, but recent work by our team produced the somewhat surprising finding that 10% of people in their early thirties are affected. This raises the issue of whether dry mouth is a trivial condition or a more substantial threat to quality of life among younger people. The objective of this study was to examine the association between xerostomia and oral-health-related quality of life among young adults while controlling for clinical oral health status and other potential confounding factors.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of data from a longstanding prospective observational study of a Dunedin (New Zealand) birth cohort: clinical dental examinations and questionnaires were used at age 32. The main measures were xerostomia (the subjective feeling of dry mouth, measured with a single question) and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) measured using the short-form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14).


RESULTS
Of the 923 participants (48.9% female), one in ten were categorised as 'xerostomic', with no apparent gender difference. There was a strong association between xerostomia and OHRQoL (across all OHIP-14 domains) which persisted after multivariate analysis to control for clinical characteristics, gender, smoking status and personality characteristics (negative emotionality and positive emotionality).


CONCLUSIONS
Xerostomia is not a trivial condition; it appears to have marked and consistent effects on sufferers' day-to-day lives.
Thomson
W Murray
WM
Department of Oral Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. murray.thomson@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
Lawrence
Herenia P
HP
Broadbent
Jonathan M
JM
Poulton
Richie
R
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009520:New Zealand; D009909:Oral Health; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000209:etiology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*