Chewing Gum May Alleviate Degree of Thirst in Patients on Hemodialysis.

ABSTRACT: Background and Objectives: Fluid restriction commonly causes dry mouth in patients on hemodialysis (HD). The observed effects of chewing gum on the amount of saliva, interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), and degree of thirst in patients on HD have been inconsistent. We investigated whether chewing gum can modulate these three parameters in patients on HD. Materials and Methods: We used purposive sampling to enroll 37 patients on HD who were then randomly divided into the chewing gum group (n = 19) and the control (non-chewing gum) group (n = 18). The degree of thirst was assessed using a self-rated visual analog scale (VAS) and a summated xerostomia inventory (SXI), respectively. Results: The degree of thirst after dialysis was significantly lower in the chew

SUBMITTER: Chen YQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10817533 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature