Salivary secretion and drug treatment in four 70-year-old Swedish cohorts during a period of 30 years.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the association between drug treatment and unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva in four 70-year-old Swedish cohorts, between 1971 and 2001. BACKGROUND: Both diseases and their medication can affect the salivary secretion rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was based on selected samples of four cohorts born in 1901/1902, 1906/1907, 1911/1912 and 1930/1931, respectively, a total of 1072 individuals. The response rate varied between 65% and 85%. RESULTS: The mean value for the stimulated salivary secretion rate was higher in men (1.3 +/- 0.8 ml/min) than in women (1.0 +/- 0.7 ml/min) (p < 0.001)). There was a significant association between the salivary secretion rate and the number of drugs among both women (p < 0.01) and men (p < 0.001). This influence was most pronounced in participants who were treated with cardiovascular drugs, mainly diuretics and non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockers, but also with antipsychotics and antidepressants, even when adjusted for cohort, gender, number of teeth and other drugs. There was an increase in treatment with medicines during the three decades. CONCLUSION: In these four groups of 70-year-old participants, high drug consumption was associated with lower salivary flow. Unstimulated secretion was only affected in women and then, when taking four or more drugs. Pronounced hyposalivation was, however, uncommon. Cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants and antipsychotics were associated with low salivary secretion. In this age group, the frequently observed association between polypharmacy and a lower saliva secretion rate represents a risk of impaired dental health.