Impact of Buccotherm (R) on xerostomia: a single blind study

Objective: The purpose of this single blind study was to investigate effects of Buccotherm (R) spray on subjective symptoms of xerostomia patients. Methods: Twenty patients with dry mouth complaint were instructed to use placebo six times a day for 2 weeks. After a wash period, mineral water spray was provided. Patients were asked to reply questions regarding dry mouth using visual analog scale (VAS). Baseline and subsequent subjective findings on 1 hour after the application of the materials at the end of 1st, 7th, and 14th days were recorded. Results: At the end of 14-day treatment, no statistically significant differences were observed between the efficacy of placebo and commercial mineral water dental spray (p > 0.05). The VAS scores revealed that difficulty in mastication (p = 0.006), difficulty in swallowing (p = 0.00), need to sip liquids while eating (p = 0.000), difficulty in speech (p = 0.003), and waking up at night to sip water (p = 0.005) were statistically lower for placebo than commercial mineral water spray. Conclusion: The commercial mineral water dental spray was not more efficient than placebo in the management of dry mouth-related symptoms. Clinical relevance: This study emphasizes the fundamental role of saliva in oral health and evaluates the clinical utility of a commercial dental spray.