Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of a mouthwash and oral gel containing the antimicrobial proteins lactoperoxidase, lysozyme and lactoferrin in elderly patients with dry mouth--a pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a mouthwash and oral gel containing the antimicrobial proteins lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin and lysozyme, in a sample of elderly individuals with dry mouth.

Material And Methods: Twenty elderly institutionalised subjects with dry mouth and with a certain degree of independence for daily life activities were included in this pilot study. A randomised, double blind and cross-over design was used. The study variables comprised subjective dry mouth sensation, the severity of discomfort assessed by means of a visual analogical scale (VAS), the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP), the presence of signs and symptoms of dry mouth, sialometry and Candida albicans culture. All the variables were recorded before and after each of the two periods of the study.

Results: The 20 selected subjects we made up of 16 women and four men, with a mean age of 81.3 years. Improvement was observed on analysing the data between the first and second intervention period in terms of the OHIP values, the presence of dry mouth, and the need to drink fluids to swallow. However, the improvement in certain variables before and after treatment did not take a positive course in all cases, and some subjects even improved with placebo.

Conclusions: The evaluated mouthwash and oral gel improved some subjective and clinical aspects in elderly individuals with dry mouth, though a placebo effect cannot be entirely discarded.