American Research Journal of Dentistry

Xerostomia is defined as the subjective sensation of dry mouth. Although xerostomia is a subjective sensation, decreased amount of saliva could worst oral health and could be a reason of difficulty in chewing, swallowing and speaking, as well as could be a reason of development and enlargement of lesions on the oral mucosa, particularly on the periodontium and the tongue, increased incidence of dental caries and presents of odor. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of the subjective sensation of dry mouth in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease and in healthy control patients, using a questionnaire. Material and methods: The clinical study involved 104 patients divided into 2 groups: a Control Group, comprising 34 people without any common diseases and a Clinical Group, consisting of 70 patients with end stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing renal replacement therapy. The data was gathered using a questionnaire listing questions related to the subjective sense of dry mouth, taste distortion, burning mouth, loss of taste, soreness while eating and swallowing. Results: The analysis of the results indicated a statistically significant relationship between dry mouth complaints and the patients’ group affiliation (χ2 = 34.47, p = 0.000). A statistically significant dependence between patients’ age and dry mouth symptoms was not detected, however a tendency towards a greater number of dry mouth complaints among patients over 60 years of age was apparent (χ2 = 2.08, p = 0.149). The observations revealed significant positive correlations between dry mouth and respectively, taste distortion, metallic taste, loss of taste, soreness while eating/swallowing as well as unpleasant breath. There was a statistical dependence between xerostomia and loss of taste, and between xerostomia and soreness while swallowing among patients who had been on renal replacement treatment for over 5 years. Statistical correlation was also observed between the subjective sense of mouth dryness and unpleasant breath in patients who had been treated for less than 5 years. Conclusion: Chronic kidney disease has a lasting and significant impact on patients’ quality of life and poses a serious health and social problem. Although xerostomia is a subjective sensation, its manifestation in patients on hemodialysis can affect their oral health, which in turn often leads to difficulty in chewing, swallowing and speaking. The issue is still relevant with the increasing incidence of CKD and its relation the quality of life of this group of patients.