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The increased production of NGF and sensory neuropeptides may play an important role in the maintenance of pain in chronic migraine and analysis results of human saliva could act as an index of disease state and therapeutic outcome.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between whole salivary flow rate and dry mouth-related subjective symptoms and behaviours in patients with dry mouth. Seventy-eight patients (13 men and 65 women, 58.2 +/- 13.5 years) with dry mouth were asked a standardized series of questions concerning dry mouth-related symptoms and behaviours. Whole salivary flow rates were measured under unstimulated and stimulated conditions. The effect of oral dryness on daily life was significantly associated with the flow rate of stimulated whole saliva (r(s) = -0.30, P < 0.01) and frequency of oral dryness (r(s) = 0.46, P < 0.01). Dry mouth-related symptoms and behaviours were significantly associated with the whole salivary flow rate and the correlation was more remarkable with respect to stimulated whole saliva. The most common dry mouth-associated complaint was sensation of burning mouth. The effect of oral dryness on daily life was significantly affected by the presence of taste disturbances. Collectively, dry mouth-related symptoms and behaviours were significantly associated with whole salivary flow rate. Moreover, the severity of dry mouth-related symptoms was more closely correlated with the flow rate of stimulated saliva, compared with the unstimulated flow rate.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity of the modified Kim's scoring system as a practical method of recording occlusal tooth wear and estimating age. For this purpose, 1092 pairs of maxillary and mandibular full-arch casts were randomly selected, scored, and analyzed. The results showed that the modified Kim's scoring system had excellent reliability, and that occlusal tooth wear had a positive correlation with age. Tooth wear scores of all teeth except the two lower central incisors were higher in males than in females. Calculating tables for age estimation were designed by multiple linear regression analysis. Estimated ages were within +/-5 years of actual ages in 63.5% of male subjects, and 64.0% of female subjects. The accuracy of age estimation was increased when the subjects were divided into two age groups and data were re-analyzed. Collectively, it was shown that the modified Kim's scoring system is a reliable and accurate method for age estimation, and that the data from these 1092 individuals can be used as a standard for age estimation of Korean adults.