Abstract
Significant changes in salivary flow are shown to occur in association with disturbances of solute and fluid balance. For example, significant reductions in salivary flow were observed in dehydration and untreated diabetes insipidus. In the patients with diabetes insipidus after either pitressin or the forcing of fluids, the salivary flow returned to the normal range, which confirmed the hypothesis that water load was the primary cause for the salivary flow changes. The reductions in salivary flow observed in patients with cardiac failure, uremia and edema present a practical problem in relation to mouth care and control of fluid intake. From the data presented it is suggested that salivary flow can be altered by: (1) changes in intracellular hydration, (2) changes in salivary gland blood flow, (3) changes in metabolic composition of intra-and extra-cellular fluid, and (4) gastric and oral factors. Further study is required to clarify the physiological mechanisms causing these alterations in salivary flow and to relate them to the associated patho-physiological changes present in a particular clinical problem. In all patients complaining of thirst a reduction in salivary flow was observed.
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