Unstimulated Salivary Secretion Research Articles

A preliminary study on submariners with xerostomia after a 3-month deployment.

To observe the clinical manifestations and salivary secretion of xerostomia patients in submariners who engaged in a three-month deployment. The general conditions and clinical examination of the 136 submariners were evaluated, by which the patients with xerostomia were screened out and their clinical manifestations were recorded. Besides, the flow rate of unstimulated saliva and stimulated saliva was measured and calculated. Subsequently, the related factors of xerostomia were quantitatively classified and statistically analyzed. In all the involved submariners, 42 were diagnosed to have xerostomia by physical examination after they returned from the task, among which 71.4% showed a decrease in unstimulated salivary flow rate and it was significantly correlated with the accompanying symptoms and their general conditions. Therefore, it was concluded that the occurrence of xerostomia could be related to the service life and job responsibilities of the submariners. The main manifestations were the reduction of unstimulated salivary secretion and the accompanying clinical symptoms such as cheilosis and angular cheilitis. Noticeably, the high psychological pressure and harsh living conditions need to be concerned, and further study should place more concentrations on these comprehensive influence factors and preventive actions of xerostomia.

Unstimulated Salivary Secretion and Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Subjects

Unstimulated Salivary Secretion and Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Subjects

Sublingual administration of atropine eyedrops in children with excessive drooling - a pilot study.

BackgroundDrooling can be a severe disability and have high impact on daily life. Reversible treatment is preferable.AimTo analyse whether sublingual administration of atropine eyedrops is a useful reversible treatment option for severe drooling in children with disabilities.DesignThe study had a prospective, single‐system research design. The participants served as their own controls. The study period was 3 weeks without treatment, 4 weeks with atropine eyedrop solution 10 mg/mL one drop a day followed by 4 weeks of one drop twice a day. Parents’ rating of their child's drooling was assessed on a 100‐mm VAS, and unstimulated salivary secretion rate measurement was performed together with notations about side effects and practicality.ResultsParents’ VAS assessment of drooling decreased from a median (range) of 74 (40–98) at baseline to 48 (18–88) (P = 0.05) and 32 (12–85) (P = 0.004) after 4 weeks of atropine once a day and another 4 weeks of atropine twice a day, respectively (n = 11). Unstimulated salivary secretion rates decreased from baseline to end of study (P = 0.032). Several parents complained about difficult administration. No irreversible side effects were noted.ConclusionsSublingual atropine eyedrops may be an alternative for treatment of severe drooling in children with disabilities.

Microflora in oral ecosystems and salivary secretion rates – A 3-year follow-up after radiation therapy to the head and neck region

ObjectiveResults indicate that late improvements of radiation therapy (RT) in the head and neck region may diminish the long-term effects on salivary glands and oral microflora. The aim was therefore to analyze salivary secretion rates and oral microflora over time in RT subjects. DesignTwelve dentate subjects (28±2 teeth) and 12 controls were included. A clinical examination was performed and the salivary secretion rates were determined. Microbial samples, analyzed using cultivation technique, were collected from the soft tissues, supragingival plaque and gingival crevice region. ResultsCompared with the controls, the RT group (n=11) had 3 years post RT higher numbers and proportions of lactobacilli (p<0.001 and p<0.01) and Candida albicans (p<0.01 and p<0.05) in the supragingival plaque, higher numbers of enterococci in the vestibulum in the molar region and on the tongue (p<0.05 for both), a lower total count (p<0.001) and lower numbers of streptococci, Streptococcus salivarius and Fusobacterium nucleatum (p<0.01) on the tongue. Although both stimulated and unstimulated salivary secretion rates were increased over time, the proportion of microorganisms associated with oral health decreased, and microorganisms associated with oral disorders increased. Despite a comparable oral hygiene, it was only the 27% who had a stimulated salivary secretion rate ≥1.0ml/min and a buffering capacity ≥6.0, where a recovery of the flora could be seen. ConclusionThe results indicate that regaining a normal, stimulated salivary secretion rate and buffering capacity are prerequisites to regaining an oral flora associated with good oral health.

혈액종양환자의 타액과 치아우식활성도 평가

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the salivary secretion, salivary pH and cariogenic activity using unstimulated whole saliva in patients with hematologic malignancy. Methods : Nineteen patients (9 male, 10 female) who had hematologic malignancy and were treated with chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation, and nineteen normal volunteers (7 male, 12 female) as control group were included. The mean age of patients group and control group was 45.1 and 46.7 years, respectively. Patients group was examined salivary secretion, salivary pH, and cariogenic activity using unstimulated whole saliva and was compared with control group. Results : In comparison with control group, salivary secretion, salivary pH and salivary buffer capacity were significantly lower in patients with hematologic malignancy (p<0.01). Both cariogenic activity(p<0.01) and the number of Lactobacilli(p<0.05) are higher in patients group than control group. Conclusions : These results suggest that the unstimulated whole salivary secretion, pH and buffer capacity were lower in patients with hematologic malignancy than control group. Cariogenic activity is higher in patients with hematologic malignancy than control group. Such salivary factor and cariogenic activity can increase the possibility of induction of dental caries.

Association between season and temperature and unstimulated parotid and submandibular/sublingual secretion rates

Objective The purpose of the present study was to evaluate parotid and submandibular/sublingual (SM/SL) unstimulated salivary secretion rate in a group of healthy individuals in winter and summer, and to observe the effect of room-adjusted temperature (air-conditioning) on salivary flow-rate in those seasons. Design Unstimulated salivary secretion rates of the right parotid and the SM/SL glands were measured in 50 healthy Israeli volunteers. Each volunteer was evaluated four times during the study: twice in winter (February–March) and twice in summer (July–August). Results Parotid and SM/SL salivary mean secretion rate in winter was significantly higher than in summer ( p < 0.02 and p < 0.05, respectively). Room heating in winter lowered significantly the mean parotid flow. Air-conditioning cancelled almost completely the seasonal effects on parotid and SM/SL secretions. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that room temperature is an important factor in measurement of salivary secretion rate. Hence, temperature should ideally be recorded and reported when assessing salivary flow-rates.

The relationship between salivary secretion rate and masticatory efficiency.

In order to elucidate the relationship between the salivary secretion rate and masticatory efficiency, experimental hypo- and hyper-salivation were produced by the administration of atropine sulphate presenting an anticholinergic effect and pilocarpine hydrochloride having a muscarine effect orally in 10 healthy fully dentates. To confirm the pharmaceutical effect of these drugs, the unstimulated whole salivary secretion rate during 10 min, and masticatory efficiency using the sieve method were measured before and after medication. The unstimulated whole salivary secretion rate during 10 min decreased significantly by the administration of atropine sulphate (P < 0.05), and increased significantly by pilocarpine hydrochloride (P < 0.01). The masticatory efficiency after atropine sulphate medication was significantly lower than that before (P < 0.01). The increase in salivary secretion by pilocarpine hydrochloride did not lead to a higher masticatory efficiency. The evidence supports the understanding that saliva plays an important role in masticatory function.

Non-endocrine late complications of bone marrow transplantation in childhood: part II.

Non-endocrine late complications of bone marrow transplantation in childhood: part II.

Oral status during radiotherapy and chemotherapy: a descriptive study of patient experiences and the occurrence of oral complications.

The aim of the present study was to describe patients' experiences of their oral status and their relation to oral complications during radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The sample consisted of 41 consecutive patients admitted for radiotherapy with >40 Gy including the oral cavity for tumours within the head and neck area, or for chemotherapy of haematological malignancies. At the start of radiotherapy or the second/third cycle of chemotherapy, patients rated their experiences of oral symptoms on a 100-mm visual analogue scale with endpoints "no oral discomfort" and "worst imaginable oral discomfort". Mucositis was assessed and unstimulated whole saliva was collected. Patients were examined regularly at every 10 Gy increase of radiotherapy or once a week during chemotherapy, and after completion of the radiotherapy or the chemotherapy cycle. In addition, patients given radiotherapy rated their experiences of oral symptoms 1 month after treatment. Patients receiving radiotherapy experienced a significant increase in oral symptoms over time. One month after treatment several oral symptoms were still present. The severity of mucositis increased over time. The unstimulated salivary secretion rate showed a rapid decrease after the start of radiotherapy, followed by a slow recovery. Patients who received chemotherapy reported fewer oral symptoms, with a peak 1-2 weeks after the start of treatment, and their mucositis score showed a parallel pattern of development. Their unstimulated salivary secretion rate did not change over time. There was good agreement between patient experiences and observations recorded by dental staff.

The effect of food consistency and dehydration on reflex parotid and submandibular salivary secretion in conscious rats

Changes in salivary secretion with different consistency of diet and dehydration were studied in male Wistar rats under unrestricted conditions. To measure the salivary secretion, a stop-flow method was used. There was little unstimulated salivary secretion from the parotid and submandibular glands, but eating solid, powdered, and liquid diets induced parotid and submandibular saliva. There was no significant change in the volume and flow rate of saliva in bilateral parotid glands during the eating of solid diets. The solid and powdered diets induced significantly more salivary secretion from the parotid gland than did the liquid. The salivary flow rate with solid diets was significantly greater from the parotid gland than from the submandibular. On the other hand, the salivary flow rate with the liquid diet was significantly smaller from the parotid gland than from the submandibular. Appreciable amounts of submandibular saliva, but little parotid saliva were secreted during grooming. Clearly, parotid and submandibular saliva have different roles in the rat. When injected intraperitoneally with 1.5 M NaCl solution or water-deprived for 24 h, rats took longer to eat the solid diets, and had increased salivary volume and decreased flow rate from the parotid gland. These results indicate that the moisture content of the diet and the dryness of the mouth alters the volume of parotid saliva secreted in rats and show that parotid saliva plays an important part in mastication and swallowing.

Subjective xerostomia in long-term surviving children and adolescents after pediatric bone marrow transplantation.

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate whether the subjective symptoms of dry mouth in long-term-surviving pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients are associated with low unstimulated salivary secretion rates (USSR) and with stimulated whole salivary secretion rates (SSSR). Fifty-three patients surviving > or =2 years after pediatric allogeneic BMT were included. USSR, SSSR, and the change in salivary secretion rates since the previous year were estimated. A questionnaire regarding subjective symptoms of xerostomia was answered. The mean USSR and SSSR were 0.24+/-0.17 and 0.90 +/- 0.58 ml/min, respectively. Salivary gland dysfunction, defined as USSR < or =0.1 ml/min or SSSR < or =0.5 ml/min, was present in 35% of the patients. Seventy-nine percent of the patients expressed one or more symptom of dry mouth, and 49% gave at least two answers indicating dry mouth. The number of complaints increased with age at examination (P<0.05). Both USSR (P<0.01) and SSSR (P<0.01) were inversely correlated to the total number of complaints of xerostomia. A reduction in SSSR compared with the year before was correlated to two or more complaints of xerostomia (P<0.01). The presence of dry mouth at night or on awakening was indicative of both low USSR (P<0.01) and SSSR (P<0.001). Patients reporting dryness during the day had significantly lower SSSR (P<0.05). The expression of subjective complaints of xerostomia among long-term surviving pediatric BMT patients is correlated to salivary gland dysfunction and age. It is very important to identify these patients with salivary gland dysfunction to relieve their symptoms and prevent secondary complications.

Noninvasive scintigraphic method to quantify unstimulated secretions from individual salivary glands

Purpose: Historically salivary gland function has been associated with maintenance of oral hygiene The difference in secretory behavior of parotid and submandibular glands has previously been shown. The purpose of this study was to establish a noninvasive technique for quantification of unstimulated (resting state) secretion of saliva based on the tracer output theory. Procedures: A total of 14 99mTc-pertechnetate salivary function studies were performed under Gamma camera. The time activity curves were subjected to a two step background subtraction protocol (area normalised background subtraction, followed by a graphical method for background correction). Individual salivary glands were modeled as Organ Curve=Input−Output. From these Uptake rates and unstimulated salivary gland fractional output rates (FOR) were calculated. Main results: Parotid as well as submandibular glands have identical Uptake rates for the tracer. A distinct pattern was noted in submandibular glands as against parotid glands. Submandibular glands showed a steady rise in total quantity of unstimulated secretion. The FOR for submandibular glands was about three times higher than parotid glands ( P<0.000001). The observed distribution of FOR for parotid and submandibular glands FOR showed that parotid-FOR was normally on the lower side whereas submandibular-FOR showed a wide range of distribution which was multimodal in nature. Principal conclusion: A unique approach has been presented for quantification of unstimulated salivary secretion. The method is simple and noninvasive.

The effect of acupuncture in the treatment of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: A controlled study

Twenty-one patients, 20 women and 1 man, participated in a controlled study. All patients were diagnosed with primary Sjögren's syndrome (1°SS) according to the Copenhagen and San Diego criteria. The patients were randomly assigned to either a group receiving acupuncture treatment or a control group with no active treatment. The patients in the control group received acupuncture after 10 weeks when the acupuncture treatment was completed in the first group. A majority of the patients subjectively reported some improvement after treatment, and a significant increase in paraffin-stimulated saliva secretion was found after treatment. No statistically significant differences between the acupuncture group and the control group were seen in unstimulated salivary secretion or most of the subjective variables. The study showed that acupuncture is of limited value for patients with 1°SS.

The association of yeasts and denture stomatitis with behavioral and biologic factors

Objectives. This study describes the association of yeasts and denture stomatitis with behavioral and biologic factors. Study design. Seven hundred eighty 55-year-old citizens of Oulu, Finland, were examined clinically; 452 of them had complete dentures. Salivary yeasts and lactobacillus counts were detected through the use of Oricult-N and Dentocult-LB dip-slide techniques. Lifestyle factors were measured by means of questions concerning physical activity, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary habits. Other background variables used in cross-tabulations and logistic regression analysis were unstimulated salivary secretion rate, retention of denture, oral hygiene, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results. The prevalence of denture stomatitis was greater among subjects with an unhealthy lifestyle, subjects with higher lactobacillus counts, and subjects with poor oral hygiene. Salivary secretion rate and smoking were associated with the presence of yeasts, but general lifestyle measures were not. Conclusion. The presence of yeasts tended to be associated with biologic factors, but behavioral factors reflecting lifestyle may be more important in the development of denture stomatitis.

The influence of acupuncture on salivary flow rates in healthy subjects

This study investigated the influence of acupuncture stimulation on the salivary secretion of eight healthy subjects. The salivary flow of each subject was measured before, during and after every acupuncture session. The unstimulated, chewing-stimulated and citric acid-stimulated flows were investigated, in combination with manual and electrically stimulated acupuncture. The results showed a significant increase of the unstimulated salivary flow both during and after the manual acupuncture stimulation as compared to baseline levels. There was no effect on the unstimulated salivary flow with electro-acupuncture. The stimulated salivary flow was not affected by manual acupuncture, while the electrically stimulated acupuncture led to a significant decrease of the chewing-stimulated salivary flow. The improvement of the unstimulated salivary secretion in healthy subjects was in accordance with our previous findings in xerostomic patients. It is possible that the salivary secretion is influenced by the augmented release of neuropeptides caused by acupuncture. Some neuropeptides have been shown to affect salivary secretion as well as capillary blood flow.

Increased major salivary gland secretion in familial dysautonomia.

Familial dysautonomia (FD), an autosomal recessive peripheral nervous system disorder, affects almost exclusively children of Jewish Ashkenazi origin and causes profound generalized autonomic dysfunction. Excessive drooling is frequent and is traditionally attributed to swallowing difficulties. Although true hypersalivation has been postulated, no quantitative assessment of the salivary secretion rate has yet been reported. The authors determined this rate in 13 children with FD and 28 healthy controls. Resting parotid, submandibular/sublingual and unstimulated whole salivary secretion rates were significantly elevated in children with FD. The known relation of salivary function with age was found in controls only. This apparently major contribution of salivary hyperfunction to excessive drooling in FD may be attributable to salivary gland denervation supersensitivity, as this mechanism is present in the cardiovascular system and the pupil in FD.

Effects of beta-adrenergic antagonists on salivary secretory function in individuals of different ages.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of chronic beta-adrenergic antagonists on parotid and submandibular gland secretions in men and women of different ages. Unstimulated and stimulated saliva flow rates, total protein concentrations, and protein secretion rates were compared from medicated (various beta-antagonists, n = 25) and control (n = 60) subjects. Age-related decreases were found in unstimulated parotid saliva flow rate (p = .011) and protein secretion rate (p = .04), unstimulated submandibular salivary flow rate (p = .005) and protein secretion rate (p = .010), and in stimulated submandibular flow rate (p = .002) and protein secretion rate (p = .006). A drug-related effect was observed only in unstimulated parotid salivary flow (p = .033) and protein secretion rate (p = .04) from medicated subjects. Results from this study indicate that age and beta-adrenergic blockade alter salivary glandular function, but their effects differ with the type of salivary secretion examined.

Effect of sulphasalazine on gastrointestinal microflora and on mucosal heat shock protein expression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

This study was performed in order to elucidate a possible association between mucosal heat shock protein expression, the gastrointestinal microflora and disease activity in 17 patients with RA before and after 16 weeks of sulphasalazine (SASP) treatment. The duodenal-jejunal mucosal binding of the monoclonal antibody ML30, recognizing the 65 kDa heat shock protein of mycobacteria, was increased (P = 0.048) in the untreated RA patients compared to controls, but did not correlate to disease, activity or microflora and was not altered by SASP therapy. There was no convincing evidence for bacterial overgrowth in the jejunum and the faecal microflora was normal. SASP treatment altered the faecal microflora, with significant reductions of the total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli and Bacteroides, and increased numbers of Bacillus. SASP had only minor effects on the jejunal microflora. A high carriage frequency of Candida albicans was found in saliva and the counts correlated negatively with the unstimulated whole salivary secretion rate. These results suggest that the gut may be involved in the aetiopathogenesis of RA but do not substantiate the hypothesis that the anti-rheumatic effects of SASP are mediated via its anti-microbial properties. However, the possibility that a micro-organism, not detected in this study, may be of crucial importance in RA, cannot be ruled out.

ヒト歯垢ｐＨ測定によるパラチノースおよびマルチトール使用チューインガムの酸産生能の評価

The purpose of this study was to evaluate acidogenicity of chewing gum sweetened with palatinose or/and maltitol in pH-response of dental plaque.The subjects of six volunteers, four males and two females, aged 23 to 31 year, were participated in this study. An IS-FET pH electrode was used to monitor changes in plaque pH on the buccal site of the mandibular fist molar. Plaque pH was measured in the utilization of plaque which had accumulated on the electrodes for four days. Chewing gum was tested individually and subjects had consumed only water for two hours before measurement. The gum was chewed for 4 minutes and then taken out. The pH measurement was performed for 30 minutes. Unstimulated salivary secretion rate and salivary secretion rate stimulated by the chewing gum were measured by Curby cup. Salivary mutans streptococci level was scored by the semi-quantitative method. A paired t test, ANOVA, multiple range test, t test (LSD), Tukey's studentized range (HSD) test were performed for six variables: Minimum pH, ΔpH, maximum rate of pH drop, maximum H+, total H+, and maximum rate of H+ production. Repeated measures analysis were performed for the pH-values, at 0 to 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes. The same statistical analysis was performed for H+.Individual variation of plaque pH-response after chewing of the test gum was observed. Values of minimum pH for palatinose or/and maltitol chewing gum were significantly higher than for sucrose chewing gum and did not drop below pH 6.0 (p<0.0001). The other two variables were significantly lower than in sucrose chewing gum (p<0.0001). Plaque pH-values at 3 to 30 minutes for palatinose or/and maltitol-chewing gum were significantly higher than for sucrose chewing gum (p<0.001). Similar findings were obtained by using maximum rate of H+. production. Mutans streptococci level was partially associated with plaque pH drop, but there was no correlation between salivary secretion rate and three different pH variables.The findings indicate that chewing gum sweetened with palatinose or/and maltitol is non-cariogenic. Individual variation might be explained by mutans streptococci level and salivary factors such as buffering capacity.

Radioisotopic and biochemical determination of salivary secretion after long term psychotropic therapy

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of prolonged psychotropic therapy (neuroleptics and antidepressants over 5 yr on salivary secretion. The flow rate in the parotid and submandibular glands were measured separately by scintigraphy. Flow rates, total protein concentration and total IgA level were determined in the unstimulated saliva in 30 control subjects and 73 patients treated with psychotropic drugs. As evidenced by measurement of flow rates and scintigraphy, psychotropic therapy reduced the unstimulated salivary secretion from parotid glands and to a lesser extent from submandibular gland. The scintigraphic study showed a lower response to stimulation in patients than controls.