An assessment of salivary function in healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal females.

The elderly represent the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population, and the majority of this group are females. The average woman can anticipate living about a third of her life beyond menopause, and many U.S. women undergo hormonal replacement in an attempt to relieve menopausal symptoms. Little is understood about the relationship between menopause, hormonal replacement therapy, and the oral structures, although oral discomfort, xerostomia, and salivary hypofunction have been associated with postmenopausal women. The effects of menopausal status and estrogen therapy on subjective reports of oral dryness and discomfort and objective measurements of major salivary gland output were assessed in 43 healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal females. No complaints of xerostomia or burning mouth and no alterations in the quantity of saliva occurred in this population. This study suggests that among healthy women salivary gland function is not significantly influenced by menopause or hormonal replacement therapy.