Xerostomia and medications among 32-year-olds

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prevalence and associations of xerostomia among adults in their early thirties, with particular attention to medication exposure as a putative risk factor.

Material and methods: The prevalence and associations of xerostomia were investigated among 32-year-old participants in a long-standing prospective cohort study. Some 950 individuals were assessed at ages 26 and 32 years, with medications being recorded on both occasions.

Results: The prevalence of xerostomia was 10.0% (with no apparent gender difference), and was significantly higher among those taking antidepressants (odds ratio = 4.7), iron supplements (OR = 4.1) or narcotic analgesics (OR = 2.4). Those taking antidepressants at both ages 26 and 32 years had 22 times the odds of reporting xerostomia.

Conclusion: Xerostomia may be a problem for a sizeable minority of young adults.

Figures

Figure 1

CHAID tree patterns for xerostomia (in each cell, the percentage who were xerostomic is given in parentheses).