Abstract:
Hyposalivation (HS) affects aging individuals by causing pain and discomfort in the oral
cavity. The aim here was to determine the impact of hyposalivation and the saliva pH on the quality
of life and caries status of geriatrics population. A total of 138 male outpatients attending the Taibah
University College of Dentistry (TUCoD) dental clinic were included in the study. The saliva flow,
pH, Quality of Life (QoL), and caries status were recorded. The QoL was measured using the Arabic
version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), and the caries status was recorded using the
Decayed, Missed, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. The mean age was 67.5 years and 64% were classified as
having hyposalivation. The older respondents tended to have a lower saliva flow and pH compared
to their younger counterparts. There was a significant inverse association (p = 0.02) between the
caries status and mean saliva flow rate. There was also a significant (p < 0.001) positive correlation
between caries and the OHIP-14 scores (Spearman’s = 0.293). The prevalence of hyposalivation was
relatively high and there was an inverse relationship between the age, the saliva flow, and pH. Those
with more caries reported significantly poor QoL.
