Smoking Related Major- and Minor Salivary Gland Flow Rates, Xerostomia and Other Sicca Symptoms in Hungary

Abstract

Objectives of this study were to explore the prevalence of subjective and objective dryness symptoms by smoking status in different age groups, to measure whole and minor saliva flow rates, and to evaluate the possible associations between salivary parameters, oral symptoms and the intensity of smoking in a sample of Hungarian adults. Repeated cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2003 (n=600) and 2014�2018 (n=301) among Hungarian adults visiting regional outpatient dental clinics of their residence where dentist interviewed them about their subjective sicca symptoms and cigarette smoking habits (non-smoker � NS, light smoker � LIS, moderate or heavy smoker � MHS), and measured unstimulated whole saliva flow rate (UWS), palatal- and labial minor saliva flow rates to assess xerostomia objectively. The severity of xerostomia was significantly higher in among 30�39-year-old male smokers (44.8%; p=0.001), and among 18-29-year-old female smokers (52.9%; p=0.013), compared to their non-smoker counterparts (6.7% and 27.1%, respectively). UWS flow rate was significantly lower among 18-29-year-old MHS females compared to NS and LIS females in the same age group (p=0.019, p=0.015, respectively). Significantly increased palatal saliva flow rate was registered among 30�39-year-old MHS males compared to their NS counterparts (p=0.046). Our study highlighted that high intensity of smoking may cause xerostomia, a decrease in the UWS flow rate, and an increase in palatal saliva flow rate in some age groups, however, other sicca symptoms were mostly unrelated to the presence of dry mouth.