Using the modified Schirmer test to measure mouth dryness: A preliminary study

Abstract

Current methods of measuring saliva volume often are difficult to perform in a general dental or medical office setting. This study seeks to determine whether the Schirmer test for measuring eye dryness can be modified to measure mouth dryness. The authors performed a modified Schirmer test (MST) on a control group composed of 41 healthy adult volunteers and a study group composed of 10 patients who had received head and neck radiation and 10 patients who had oral chronic graft-versus-host disease (CGVHD). The authors placed the strip on the floor of each subject's mouth and took readings at one minute, two minutes and three minutes. Fourteen control subjects also spat into a container over a five-minute interval, and the authors weighed the collected saliva. The mean reading for the control subjects at three minutes was 29.5 millimeters, while the mean reading for the test subjects was 6.9 mm (P < .00005). The results of the MST were able to distinguish between healthy adult volunteers and subjects who experienced profound xerostomia and hyposalivation. The MST as used in this preliminary study is an objective, inexpensive, easy-to-perform and well-tolerated test for measuring mouth dryness. It readily distinguishes between patients who are healthy and asymptomatic and those who experienced profound xerostomia and hyposalivation.