Effectiveness of salivary stimulation using xylitol-malic acid tablets as coadjuvant treatment in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: early findings.

Abstract

Besides dental erosion syndrome, other oral syndromes could benefit from the stimulation of salivary secretion, in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Our aims is evaluate the improvement of oral extra-oesophageal manifestations in patients with GORD using xylitol-malic acid tablets to stimulate salivary secretion. The effectiveness of salivary stimulation using xylitol-malic acid tablets (as a supplement to omeprazole 40 mg/day) was assessed in a clinical trial (n = 14) lasting six months with patients with prior positive pH-metry, through GORD extra-oesophageal clinical signs, GerdQ and RDQ questionnaires, odontological variables, basal salivary secretion, stimulated salivary secretion, pH and buffer capacity, mucosal erythema index and dental wear. chi-square (Haberman post-hoc), ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney U; variables between visits were evaluated with McNemar's Student's t and Wilcoxon tests; p 100% of patients not taking xylitol-malic acid presented xerostomia, but only 14.3% of patients taking xylitol-malic acid (p Xylitol-malic acid tablets improve quality of life among patients with GORD, by reducing dry mouth, increasing saliva buffering and reducing heartburn, retro-sternal burning and regurgitation.