EXPLORATION OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF ORAL MOISTURIZING AGENTS FOR DRY MOUTH AND XEROSTOMIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of oral moisturizing agents for dry mouth and xerostomia. Oral moisturizing agents improve the patient's quality of life by moisturizing the oral mucosa and maintaining the buffer capacity. The methods of this review was structured following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Pubmed and Ebscohost-CINAHL Plus databases were used for article searching. The JADAD or Oxford quality scoring system was used to assess the risk of bias. Oral moisturizing agents tested were moisturizer mouthwash, Verramin gel, oral moisturizer jelly (OMJ), GC Dry Mouth Gel®, aloe vera mouthwash, and ginger mouthwash. All of them can reduce discomfort and dry mouth complaints in patients. Even OMJ could increase salivary pH and reduce the risk of candidiasis. There was no significant difference after using moisturizer mouthwash in patients with Sjogren's syndrome compared to giving natural water as a control. Mild to moderate adverse effects were found due to the use of moisturizer mouthwash. Oral moisturizing agents can overcome the problem effectively and safely for dry mouth or xerostomia, however, were less effective for patients with Sjogren's syndrome.