Xerostomia in patients with diabetes mellitus (pilot study)

Relevance. Saliva performs some essential functions indispensable for oral health. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) often complain of xerostomia. Long-term dry oral mucosa in diabetic patients adversely affects the quality of life and causes speech. chewing. swallowing. and taste problems; it leads to multiple caries and inflammatory periodontal diseases.
Aim. To evaluate the detection rate and determine the x erostomia nature in patients with DM.
Materials and methods. The interview and survey included 251 patients aged 18-82 y.o. with Type 1 DM. latent auto-immune diabetes in adults and Type 2 DM. The patients informed the study of DM duration. current therapy duration. xerostomia presence and nature. The patients’ records provided information about the established diagnosis. age. glycohemoglobin (HbA1c). body mass index (BMI). and prescribed DM therapeutic regimen. The data were statistically analysed using the StatTech v. 2.4.8 software. Results. 134 (53.4%) patients complained of a transient dry mouth associated with blood sugar levels increase; 6 (2.4%) patients noted dry mouth if blood sugar levels decreased; 30 subjects (12.0 %) and 10 subjects (4.0 %) reported constant and stress-associated dry mouth. respectively (р > 0.05). Patients over 80 declared dry mouth associated with blood sugar decrease more often than patients aged 45-64 and 65-80 y.o. (р = 0.002*; р45-64 – over 80 = 0.012; рover 65 – over 80 < 0.001); 21.1% of patients aged 65-80 noted permanently dry mouth (р = 0.028). Patients with persisting xerostomia (permanent dry mouth and stress-associated dry mouth) had statistically significant. higher BMI of 33 (31-37) kg/m2 (р = 0.019) and 36 (34-41) kg/m2 (р = 0.002). respectively. The higher glycohemoglobin level increase was more statistically significant in patients with DM. who reported dry mouth associated with glucose increase. The evaluation of xerostomia nature vs to diagnosis. sex. DM duration. drug therapy scheme. and smoking did not reveal any statistically significant differences.
Conclusion. Xerostomia presents an additional problem for patients with DM. Patient education and the selection of individual products for oral care by dentists may improve oral health parameters in the long run.

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