Xerostomia Patients’ Quality-of-life and Willingness-to-adopt an Artificial Implantable Salivary Gland

Objectives: Xerostomia affects at least 60 million individuals in USA. But there is limited evidence on current management strategies. This study aimed to evaluate: 1) the effect of xerostomia and satisfaction with xerostomia therapies on patients’ oral health related quality-of-life (OHQoL); 2) patients’ willingness-to-adopt and willingness-to-pay for an artificial implantable salivary gland. Variations in willingness-to-adopt regarding OHQoL, satisfaction, symptomatic time-period and sociodemographic factors were also evaluated.
Methods: A survey was conducted to obtain patient satisfaction ratings of current xerostomia management strategies, the effect of Xerostomia on their oral and general health, willingness to adopt an artificial salivary gland pump, and willingness-to-pay for the implantable device.
Results: A total of 107 individuals responded through either a paper-based questionnaire or an online survey. Participants (age: 62.3 ± 12.0 yr; 48.6% male) had been experiencing dry mouth symptoms for an average of 9.4 ± 9.3 yr (range: 0-48 yr). Individuals with Sjögren’s syndrome and radiation-related xerostomia had significantly poorer OHQoL than other etiologies (p≤0.0001). The majority of the respondents (n=73) were either moderately or extremely dissatisfied with xerostomia therapies that they were currently using. Lower satisfaction with therapies was also significantly associated with poorer OHQoL (p<0.001). Most respondents (84%) were willing to adopt an implantable salivary gland. Respondents’ mean willingness-to-pay was $2,024 if the treatment provided them with moderate satisfaction and $2,869 for high-to-complete satisfaction. Willingness-to-adopt the new treatment was significantly associated with poorer OHQoL, lower satisfaction with xerostomia therapies, greater(?) age, time-period since the start of xerostomia, monthly expenditure on management, income, education and presence of dental implant-prostheses (p-values<0.01).
Conclusions: Individuals with xerostomia symptoms that negatively affects their oral health related quality of life are largely dissatisfied with currently available xerostomia management strategies. The results of this study indicate that individuals living with xerostomia would be willing to adopt a dental implant-based implantable salivary gland as a new treatment modality.