Parotid fluid flow rate as related to whole saliva volume

Abstract

A total of 120 pairs of parotid and extra-parotid fluid specimens were collected simultaneously under differing forms of stimulation from thirty healthy young adult males. Under increasing intensity of rubber band stimulation, the percentage contribution of the parotids to whole saliva volume increased progressively from 40.6 to 49.1 per cent. This rise was due almost entirely to increased parotid flow rate since the extra-parotid flow did not increase significantly. With oral pilocarpine as the stimulating agent the parotid contribution increased from 40.7 to 48.1 per cent as flow rate increased. The rate of elaboration of both types of oral fluid increased significantly with this stimulant.