Relationship of lumbar spine bone mineral density and oral dryness feeling in menopause

Abstract

Objective: 

The aims of this study were to compare lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) of postmenopausal women with or without oral dryness (OD) feeling and to evaluate the relationship between BMD and severity of OD feeling.

Methods: 

A cross-sectional study conducted at the Clinic of Oral Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences was carried out on 60 selected postmenopausal women aged 45 to 79 years with or without OD feeling (30 as case, 30 as control). Xerostomia inventory score was used as an index of OD feeling severity. The BMD was measured by a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry system. Statistical analysis using the Student's t test and Spearman correlation coefficient was performed.

Results: 

The mean lumbar spine BMD was significantly lower in case than in control women. There was a significant negative correlation between xerostomia inventory score and BMD in postmenopausal women (r = −0.334, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: 

It seems that postmenopausal women who lose BMD may experience OD feeling.

In Brief

In this cross-sectional study, the mean lumbar spine bone mineral density was significantly lower in women with oral dryness feeling than in controls. Bone mineral density significantly correlated with the severity of oral dryness.