title: Prevalence of xerostomia in an adolescent inpatient psychiatric clinic: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adolescents with psychiatric conditions may be at risk for xerostomia. In this preliminary study, we estimated xerostomia prevalence in adolescents ages 9 to 17 years from an inpatient psychiatric clinic (N = 25) and examined whether: (1) gender and age were associated with xerostomia and (2) xerostomia was associated with self-reported cavities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a modified 11-item Xerostomia Index to identify xerostomia (no/yes) and asked if adolescents ever had or currently have cavities (no/yes).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 14 years (SD = 2.3) and 72% were male. Sixty percent reported xerostomia (SD = 50). There were no significant associations between xerostomia and gender (p = 0.99) or age (p = 0.66), or between xerostomia and past (p = 0.26) or current cavities (p = 0.11). Larger proportions of adolescents with xerostomia reported previous and current cavities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sixty percent of adolescents from an inpatient psychiatric clinic reported having xerostomia, which may lead to increased caries risk over time. Additional research should examine the prevalence and consequences of xerostomia in high-risk adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Research Assistant, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Manvir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Himadi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: adolescents with special health care needs; dental caries; inpatient psychiatric clinic; xerostomia