Questionnaire Survey on Oral Symptoms of Menopausal Women and Cooperation between Doctors and Dentists

Objective: Xerostomia, temporomandibular disorder, and periodontal disease are frequently seen in menopausal women. However, few studies have reported the prevalence of oralsymptoms during menopause or the cooperation between doctors at outpatient clinics for women and dentists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of oral symptoms and the cooperation between doctors at outpatient clinics for women and dentists. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 380 outpatient clinics for women in Japan. The questionnaire included characteristics for the person completing it, staff structure,cooperation with medicalspecialists, the existence of oralsymptoms, details of these symptoms, cooperation with dentists, and space for free responses. Results: The survey response rate was 57.9% (220 of 380 institutions). Most respondents (81.6%) thought that female sex hormones influenced the mouth, and 79.4% had encountered oralsymptoms. The most frequently encountered symptoms were oral dryness, taste disorder, and burning sensation of the mouth. The necessity of cooperation between doctors and dentists was recognized by 63.1%. Staff that recognised the influence of female hormones on the mouth were significantly more likely than others to acknowledge the importance of cooperation (p