Evaluation of Oral Sicca Symptoms in Patients with Psychiatric Medications

Objective: was to assess the prevalence of different orofacial subjective and objective sicca symptoms among patients with psychiatric medications. Methods: 49 patients (11male,38female,average age: 60±13years) referred to the Teaching Center of the Semmelweis University Dental Faculty, took part in the examination. Evidence of any disease causing sicca symptoms and a medication completely different from the psychiatric, resulted in exclusion from the study, so at the end 14 healthy controls and 13 medicated patients' data were analyzed. A questionnaire was designed to determine the medication type, the subjective presence or absence of oral dryness and the related sicca symptoms. The flow rate of unstimulated whole saliva flow rate (UWS) (ml/min) was collected by the ‘‘spitting'' method; The PERIOTRON® 8000 device was used for the measurement of the minor saliva flow rates: palatal saliva (PS) flow rate (µl/min/cm2) was measured using saliva-paper discs placed bilaterally in the region of the maxillary second molars, 15 mm palatally from alveolar ridge, for 30 seconds; the method was used for the assessment of the labial saliva(LS) flow rate (µ/min/cm2) in the middle of the lower lip mucosa. Paired Student's t-test and ÷2-test were employed in the statistical analysis of the data (p<0.05). Results: Ratios of subjective symptoms in the questioned subjects were: oral dryness: Patients(P): 77%, Controls C):21%, (p<0.05); dysphagia:P:46%,C:21% glossopyrosis: P:23%,C:14%, dysphonia: P:15%,C:21%, dysgeusia: P:23%, C:0% (p<0.05, nasal dryness:P:31%,C:29%, occular dryness: P:23%,C:35%, itching eye:P:38%,C:29%, xeroderma:P:46%,C:57%, fatigue:P:69%,C:57%. Vaginal dryness was mentioned by P:20%,C:18%, vaginal itching was in P:0%,C:9% in the interviewed women. UWS was P:0.30± 0.14ml/min, C: 0,31±0,12ml/min, PS was: P:3.05±1.62µl/min/cm2 C:2,36±1.71µl/min/cm2, while LS was P:1.40±1.66µl/min/cm2 C: 2,15 ±1.84µl/min/cm2. Conclusion: Xerostomia and dysgeusia was mentioned in a significantly higher ratio among the medicated ones, compared to the controls. Data showed that neither UWS nor the minor saliva flow rates differ significantly between the two groups.