• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.109-116
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• 2021

Purpose: Xerostomia is subjective feeling of dry mouth. It is complicated and multifactorial, which burdens clinicians in diagnosis and treatment of the problem. The goal of this study was to discuss the clinical importance of salivary flow rate, pH and subjective symptoms for evaluating oral dryness among young healthy male subjects. Methods: Thirty male participants were recruited in this study (mean age±standard deviation of 25.70±1.84). All participants completed 'Xerostomia Inventory' to measure subjective oral dryness scores. Unstimulated saliva and stimulated saliva were collected from each participant twice a day at 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm, using spitting method. Salivary flow rates and pH were measured immediately after collection. Relationship between objective and subjective measurements were analyzed. Results: There were excellent intra-examiner reliability for salivary flow rate and pH and good internal consistency for Xerostomia Inventory. Objective measurements and subjective symptoms did not exhibit positive association. Salivary flow rate in unstimulated and stimulated condition showed positive association and also for salivary pH. Stimulated salivary flow rate also presented positive correlation with stimulated salivary pH. Conclusions: Comprehensive assessment of objective measurements and subjective symptoms may be complimentary for assessing oral dryness, which would assist in implementing early interventions to improve patient's quality of life.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.13-24
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• 2013

Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the availability of diagnosis of Yin-deficiency in the elderly with xerostomia and factors influencing subjective oral dryness. Methods: We surveyed 50 patients recruited by the clinical trial, 'Efficacy of Yukmijihwang-tang on Xerostomia in the Elderly: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Two-center Trial'. The subjects were assessed on their subjective oral dryness using the Dry Mouth Symptom Questionnaire (DMSQ). Their salivary functions were measured by Unstimulated Salivary Flow Rate (USFR) measurements. In addition, the subjects were evaluated on their Qi-stagnation and Yin-deficiency conditions using the Qi-stagnation questionnaire and Yin-deficiency questionnaire. Results: There were statistically significant correlations between three variables (USFR, DMSQ score and Qi-stagnation score) and Yin-deficiency score. In the multiple regression analysis, the regression model was statistically significant (F = 10.273, p < .001). The factor most strongly influencing the subjective oral dryness was USFR (${\beta}$ = -0.386). Yin-deficiency had the next strongest impact on the subjective oral dryness (${\beta}$ = 0.371). Qi-stagnation affected the subjective oral dryness weakly (${\beta}$ = 0.075). In the simple regression analysis, Yin-deficiency had a statistically significant effect on each of six subscales of DMSQ (p < .01). Among the six subscales, DMSQ-1 ('Oral dryness at night or on awakening') was the most strongly influenced by Yin-deficiency. Conclusions: The results of this study show that the diagnosis of Yin-deficiency in the elderly with xerostomia was available and Yin-deficiency was an important factor influencing the subjective oral dryness. Therefore, the consideration of Yin-deficiency is significant for diagnosis and treatment in the elderly with xerostomia.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 2005

Xerostomia is defined as a subjective complaint of dry mouth that may be perceived when there is insufficient mucosal wetting. However, the diagnosis and treatment of xerostomia is not that simple because of the fact that the subjective awareness of dry mouth is not always correlated with a diminution in the flow of saliva and there is always a difference between individuals in salivary flow rates needed for normal oral function. In the present study, the aim was to develop a questionnaire to evaluate the dry mouth symptoms and to analyze its reliability and usability as a diagnostic and analytic tool for xerostomia. The questionnaire which consists of 6 Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) type questions to evaluate the subjective oral dryness and 4 questions to evaluate behavior to avoid oral dryness was developed and administered twice with 1 week's interval to the healthy 88 young adults without dry mouth symptoms(44 males and 44 females; mean age was $25.6{\pm}3.1$ years in male and $24.3{\pm}2.1$ years in female). The results were as follows. 1 The intraclass correlation coefficients of 6 questions to evaluate the subjective oral dryness were as significantly high as 0.767 for the degree of oral dryness at other times of the day, 0.850 for the amount of saliva in the mouth, and 0.791 for the degree of effect on daily life due to oral dryness and as high as 0.563 for the degree of oral dryness at night or on awakening, 0.674 for the degree of oral dryness during eating, and 0.641 for the degree of difficulty in swallowing foods. 2. Cronbach's alpha value of 6 questions was 0.982. It can be concluded that the series of questions to evaluate the subjective oral dryness has high internal consistency. 3. Cohen's kappa values of 4 questions to evaluate behavior to relieve oral dryness were as significantly high as 0.850 for the frequency of keeping a glass of water at the bedside and as high as 0.506 the frequency of awakening during sleeping due to oral dryness, 0.419 for the frequency of sipping liquids to aid in eating dry foods, and 0.407 for the frequency of using a candy or chewing gum due to oral dryness. From the results, it can be concluded that the questionnaire consisting of 6 VAS type questions to evaluate the subjective oral dryness and 4 questions to evaluate behavior to relieve oral dryness has reliability of good to excellent level, and that the series of 6 VAS type questions has significantly high internal consistency to evaluate the subjective oral dryness.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.437-445
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• 2019

This study is a 1:1 survey of 154 elderly 65 or older to find out the direct and indirect effects of oral dryness on their quality of life through the medium of depression. As a result, the subjective oral health of the elderly and oral dryness, depression and quality of life were correlated. In the medial effect of subjective oral health and oral dryness on the quality of life, subjective oral health is the quality of life(β=.23, p<.01), depression(β=-.24, p<.01)and the influence of subjective oral health when depression is controlled(β=.08, p>05) was not significant and was completely mediated. Oral dryness is the quality of life(β=-.24, p<.01) and depression(β=.37, p<.001) was shown to have a significant effect and the influence of oral dryness when depression is controlled(β=.00, p>.05) was not significant and was completely mediated. In order to improve the quality of life for the elderly, it is necessary to develop and apply a comprehensive arbitration program that can improve oral health and oral function, and to study the effects of consequences in the future.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.277-284
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the influencing factors of oral health-related quality of life in social workers. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 240 social workers in Gwangju by convenience sampling method. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects(age, monthly salary, smoking, alcohol consumption) and systemic health condition(systemic diseases, medication, oral health status, and stress). The factors associated with oral health-related quality of life included skin dryness, eye dryness, lip dryness, and nasal dryness. The subjective dry mouth consisted of 6 questions measured by visual analogue scale(VAS). Cronbach's alpha was 0.868 in the study. The data were analyzed for t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis using SPSS 18.0 program. Results: The oral health-related quality of life in social workers varied by age, oral health status, stress status, and halitosis. The oral health-related quality of life had positive correlations with the subjective perception of dry mouth and whole body dry symptoms. The health status(${\beta}=-0.410$) had the influence on the oral health-related quality of life, nasal dryness(${\beta}=0.230$), age(${\beta}=0.189$), and halitosis (${\beta}=0.162) in order. Conclusions: The oral health-related quality of life was closely related to the health status and nasal dryness. It is necessary to develop the quality of life improvement programs including oral health prevention and care program in the social workers.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.65-78
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was conducted to characterize the impact of cognitive function and oral health status on mastication in senior citizens, ${\geq}65$ years of age, using senior centers in the city of Wonju, South Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional study consisting of a simple oral examination and survey questionnaires was performed in 154 individuals. General characteristics, subjective masticatory function, objective masticatory function, cognitive function, and oral health status were collected as variables. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. A p-value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The subjective masticatory function was scored using the 5-point Likert scale. When subjective masticatory function was analyzed in groups according to cognitive function, the mean subjective masticatory function scores were 4.31, 4.09, and 3.29 in the normal group (cognitive score of ${\geq}16$), suspected dementia group (cognitive score of 1215), and mild dementia group (cognitive score of ${\leq}11$), respectively. Thus, subjective masticatory function decreased along with decreasing cognitive function. When cognitive function, subjective masticatory function, and objective masticatory function were compared with indicators of oral health status (number of functional teeth, oral dryness), subjective masticatory function exhibited a significant positive correlation with objective masticatory function (r=0.635, p<0.01), cognitive function (r=0.292, p<0.01), and total number of functional teeth, including prosthetic appliances (dentures) (r=0.305, p<0.01). According to the regression analysis, age, sex, number of functional teeth, and cognitive function affected subjective masticatory function. Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that age, sex, number of functional teeth, and cognitive function affected subjective masticatory function, whereas oral dryness did not. Therefore, dental professionals must consider subjective masticatory function when providing oral care in senior patients with low cognitive function.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.382-392
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate effects of an oral self-care program on oral dryness and oral health related quality of life in the elderly. Methods: The current research design isa nonequivalent control group protest-posttest design with two groups of elders from two different senior centers in D city. Tools for the research include paper of salivary absorption (WF41-1850, Whatman, Germany), 6 items for subjective oral dryness and OHIP-14 for oral health related to quality of life. The data were analyzed to test three hypotheses by using the SPSS 22.0 program. Results: The three hypotheses were significantly accepted. The subjective oral dryness score was lower in the experimental group than in the control group (t=-2.45, p=.022). Salivary absorption was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (t=3.83, p<.001).Oral health related quality of life was better in the experimental group than in the control group (t=-2.11, p=.044). Conclusion: The oral self-care program has appeared to be effective on oral dryness and an oral health related quality of life in the elderly. Therefore, it can be suggested that the oral self-care program is applicable as an intervention program motivating the elderly to maintain oral health.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2012

Orofacial movement disorders (OMD) are uncontrolled movement of the muscles involving the face, tongue, lip and mandible. Due to variable oral and lingual muscles affected, the patients with OMD are interfered with the appropriate performance such as chewing, swallowing and talking. In this study, there are 4 OMD cases with oral dryness that saliva flow rate is decreased or not. The symptoms are improved after oral administration of pilocarpine to 4 patients with OMD. Therefore, we suggest that objective or subjective oral dryness could be etiologic factor in OMD and pilocarpine could be regarded as medication for OMD.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of oral state and health condition among elderly people. The subjects in this study were 220 senior citizens who were randomly selected from among dwellers in Eunpyeong-gu and Jongno-gu, Seoul. A survey was conducted by one-on-one interview to find out their oral state and health condition. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS 10.0 program, and variance analysis, correlation analysis and regression procedure were employed. The findings of this study were as follows: First, Regarding subjective oral health state, 52.3 percent of the elderly people, more than the half, considered their mouth to be in good health. The number of their mean remaining permanent teeth was 14.85, which was one of the indexes to indicate their objective oral state. Second, Concerning their abnormal oral health experience, 75 percent didn't feel that their masticatory force was good enough, and 55.9 percent felt pain in their teeth, 70.0 percent suffered from mouth dryness. Those fact showed that a lot of the elderly people felt there was something wrong with their oral cavity, and the unhealthy oral state made it difficult for them to eat food, as their masticatory force weakened and they couldn't get a good taste for food. Third, Those who viewed their oral cavity as healthy thought that they were in good shape, and there was a significant correlational relationship between their subjective oral and overall physical health states. Their own perception of oral state made a difference to their subjective health status, and the subjective oral health was significantly related to ADL as well, which implied that their ADL was different according to the way they looked at their own oral health status.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.243-249
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• 2017

Objectives: Stress is a psychological reaction to stimuli such as anxiety or threat felt by a person either physically or mentally when placed in a difficult situation. Although a relationship between stress and dry mouth has been reported, it remains understudied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between stress and subjective dry mouth among the elderly living in a rural region. Methods: A total of 214 people aged ${\geq}60years$ living in a rural area were recruited with an informed consent for a cross-sectional analysis. Information about stress and subjective dry mouth was obtained by an interview survey with a constructed questionnaire. Data on other potential confounding factors (including oral factors) such as socio-demographic data, health-related behaviors, the number of remaining teeth, and subjective chewing ability were also gathered at the same time. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship of stress and dry mouth using SPSS. Results: The Crude odds ratio (OR) of stress awareness affecting subjective dry mouth was 2.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.43-4.68). After adjusting for sex, education, income, smoking, and alcohol intake, the adjusted OR was 2.52 (95% confidence interval: 1.30-4.87) which was statistically significant. Conclusions: Elderly people who were stressed had an approximately 2-fold increase in experiencing subjective dry mouth when compared to their stress-free counterparts.