Xerostomia and hyposalivation in orthogeriatric patients with fall history and impact on oral health-related quality of life

摘要

PurposeFalls are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in older people, and identification of risk indicators and risk factors to prevent falling is essential. Dry mouth (xerostomia and hyposalivation) can exacerbate conditions known to be fall risk indicators, such as nutritional status and sarcopenia. But there is little evidence regarding whether it is an independent risk factor for falling. We explored xerostomia prevalence and intensity and objective salivation rates in hospitalized geriatric patients to determine whether they were associated with an increased risk of falling.