What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a literature review of 25 clinical trials to evaluate various therapeutic strategies for salivary hypofunction.
What They Found
The review found that pilocarpine and cevimeline demonstrated the strongest evidence of beneficial effects for salivary hypofunction. While citric and malic acids increased salivary flow, they also increased the risk of erosion and dental caries, and there was no controlled clinical trial evidence for acupuncture, stem cell, or gene therapies.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing salivary hypofunction may find relief with medications like pilocarpine and cevimeline, which have strong evidence of efficacy. Patients should be cautious with treatments like citric and malic acids due to potential dental risks, and be aware that some newer therapies lack robust clinical trial support.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no specific Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation was that most of the included clinical trials had a low number of participants and short follow-up times.