A systematic review of the effects of acupuncture on xerostomia and hyposalivation

Assy Z, Brand HS · BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine · 2018 February 13

Objective

To investigate the effects of acupuncture on salivary flow rate and subjective dry mouth symptoms in people with xerostomia or hyposalivation.

Conclusions

Acupuncture has inconclusive effects on salivary flow rate and subjective dry mouth symptoms, and insufficient evidence is available to conclude that it is an evidence-based treatment option for xerostomia or hyposalivation.

Critical Appraisal

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Insights

Current evidence does not establish acupuncture as an effective treatment for reduced saliva production or persistent dry mouth.

The authors systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, reference lists, and relevant reviews for randomized controlled trials evaluating acupuncture for dry mouth or reduced saliva secretion. Two reviewers independently screened eligible studies and assessed their risk of bias. The review included trials comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, usual care, oral hygiene, or oral care sessions. Some studies reported improvements in saliva flow or participants’ feelings of dry mouth after acupuncture. However, the studies varied in their comparison treatments and were judged to provide low-quality evidence for the main outcomes, leaving the overall findings inconclusive.