Dry mouth among the elderly in Korea: a survey of prevalence, severity, and associated factors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of dry mouth among elderly population of Korea and to evaluate associate factors and their impact. Telephone interviews were conducted on a stratified random sample of 1,012 subjects aged ≥ 55 years. Prevalence of dry mouth symptoms, severity of overall oral dryness, and associated factors were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Among the subjects, 70.1% reported to have at least one dry mouth-related symptom and 25.8% were classified with considerable dry mouth. Overall oral dryness severity of each of these groups was 4.30 ± 2.67 and 6.09 ± 2.25, respectively, on a 0-10 scale. Odds ratio of dry mouth increased in women, in smokers, and with increased age and number of medications taken. Women and number of medications taken were significantly associated with overall oral dryness severity. A major portion of the Korean elderly reported various dry mouth symptoms, and a wide range of severity and discomfort was caused by these symptoms.