Xerostomia, its Association with Oral Manifestation and Ocular Involvement: A Clinical and Biochemical Study

Saliva is the physiological fluid of the oral cavity. As well as keeping the mouth moist and comfortable, saliva plays a vital, everyday role in protecting our general health and well-being. Reported estimates of the prevalence of xerostomia range from 12 to 39%.1 Although dry mouth is not widely recognized, research suggests that there may be as many as one in five people suffering from the effects of dry mouth at sometime in their life. Xerostomia is the fourth most distressing symptom known. Xerostomia is also known to be associated with other nonoral symptoms like dry throat, dry eyes, dry skin, complaints of ocular dryness have been reported in 39% of xerostomic patients.2 It has been recently reported that among several components, changes in sodium, chloride and phosphate concentration of whole saliva and parotid saliva have great potential in assessing salivary gland function. It is also hypothesized that multiglandular hypofunction may be phenomenon coexisting with xerostomia which often goes undiagnosed.3 This clinical study explores the relationship between severity of xerostomia, actual salivary gland hypofunction and oral manifestation. A correlation of xerostomia is also made with lacrimal gland function and sialochemical composition in respect to electrolytes and total protein.