The effect of chewing gum on dry mouth in individuals with diabetes mellitus

This study was conducted as a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest design to determine the effects of chewing gum on dry mouth in individuals with diabetes. The sample size and the number of individuals in the groups were calculated using power analysis. A total of 80 individuals with diabetes constituted the participant group, with 40 participants in the intervention group and 40 in the control group. Participants were assigned to the groups using the sealed envelope method. Data were collected between February 12, 2024, and June 28, 2024, at the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Outpatient Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital. Initial evaluation of both groups was conducted via face-to-face interviews. Study data were collected using the 'Individual Diagnosis Form' and the 'Xerostomia Scale'. After the initial assessment, participants in the intervention group were asked to chew gum for 15 minutes before 3 main meals for 7 days. The control group did not receive any treatment. The final evaluation of both groups was conducted via telephone interviews 7 days after the initial assessment. Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) 22.0 was used in the data analysis. According to the data obtained from the study, the mean score of the diabetic individuals included in the sample on the Xerostomia Scale in the pre-test was 31.70±3.89 in the intervention group and 33.50±3.89 in the control group. In the post-test, the mean score of the participants was 27.90±3.65 in the intervention group and 31.82±3.80 in the control group. In the initial assessment, it was determined that both groups experienced moderate dry mouth, and the xerostomia scores of the individuals in the control group were higher than those in the intervention group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). In the post-assessment, it was determined that there was a significant decrease in the xerostomia scores of both groups, but the difference in scores between the pre-test and post-test in the intervention group (3.80±1.62) was greater than that of the control group (1.68±1.32) (p<0.05). As a result, the incidence of xerostomia was found to be significantly improved in the intervention group, and gum chewing was a cost-effective method for reducing dry mouth. The study findings suggest that individuals with diabetes should regularly assess their dry mouth during checkups. Unless there are contraindications, chewing gum can be a cost-effective method for individuals experiencing dry mouth, along with other care measures.