Artificial saliva plus beta-glucan for treatment of xerostomia in older adults: The clinical study of effectiveness and salivary total antioxidant capacity levels

To evaluate the effectiveness of 2 artificial saliva formulations, sodium carboxymethylcellulose artificial saliva spray and sodium carboxymethylcellulose artificial saliva spray plus β-glucan. : This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial and involved older adults with xerostomia. The xerostomia inventory score, clinical oral dryness score, oral moisture degree, unstimulated salivary flow rate, and salivary total antioxidant capacity were measured prior to and after treatment. The results were evaluated 4 weeks after taking both products. : The study included 51 subjects in the control (n = 25) and BG (n = 26) groups. xerostomia inventory score and clinical oral dryness score were significantly lower in both groups after 4 weeks of treatment (p0.00). Additionally, both groups had significantly greater oral moisture degree and unstimulated salivary flow rate than before treatment (p0.05). Only the increase in oral moisture degree in the BG group was significantly greater than that in the control group (p=0.048). Both groups tended to have decreased salivary total antioxidant capacity, but only the control group had a significant difference at 4 weeks (p=0.004). There was no significant difference in satisfaction score between the two groups. No serious side effects were found in the study. : The clinical signs and symptoms of xerostomia were improved by both control and artificial BG saliva. BG improved oral moisture more than the control. Furthermore, BG was more likely to prevent a decrease in salivary total antioxidant capacity than was the control.