Xerostomia impacts oral health-related quality of life in individuals with end-stage renal disease

Abstract

Objective: This two-centre cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate whether xerostomia occurrence is associated with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after the adjustment for potential confounders. Methods: Oral examinations were performed by calibrated examiners for untreated dental caries, periodontitis and tooth loss in 180 adults with ESRD. The presence of xerostomia was determined using the global question “How often does your mouth feel dry?”. OHRQoL was evaluated by the simplified version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP14) questionnaire. Multivariate zero-inflated negative binomial regression analysis was used to calculate the incidence rate ratios (IRR) for the nonzero scores and odds ratios (OR) of having no impact in OHIP14 scores according to the presence of exposure. Results: In the adjusted model, xerostomia (IRR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.12 to 2.20) was associated with poorer OHRQoL. The adjusted domain-specific analysis revealed that xerostomia occurrence significantly impacted the psychological disability and social disability, and the chance of having no impact was lower for the psychological discomfort domain (OR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.98). Conclusion: Xerostomia exert an impact on OHRQoL in patients with ESRD, mainly in the psychological and social disabilities constructs.

The relationship between fatigue, pruritus, and thirst distress with quality of life among patients receiving hemodialysis: a mediator model to test concept of treatment adherence

“…Dryness of the mouth due to fluid restriction has a direct relationship with thirst and increases the risk of weight gain and orodental problems such as bacterial and fungal infections, candidiasis, dental caries, and periodontal diseases 94 . These problems cause difficulty in speaking, chewing, and eating, and thereby, greatly affect oral health and QOL 95 (Hypothesis-3).…”