Effects of Nine Different Chewing-Gums and Lozenges on Salivary Flow Rate and pH

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine how salivary flow rate and pH vary with time during use of chewing-gums and lozenges. Twenty-four young adults collected unstimulated saliva and then, on different occasions, chewed one of six flavoured gums, or gum base, or sucked on one of two lozenges, for 20 min, during which time eight separate saliva samples were collected. Flow rate peaked during the 1st minute of stimulation with all nine products. With the lozenges, flow rate fell towards he unstimulated rate when the lozenges had dissolved. There were no significant differences in the flow rates elicited by cinnamon- or peppermint-flavoured gums or between sugar-containing or sugar-free gums. With the flavoured gums, the mean flow rate followed a power curve (r = -0.992) with time and within about 10 min was not significantly different from that when gum base was the stimulus. The initial stimulated flow rate with flavoured gums was about 10-12 times greater than the unstimulated rate (0.47 ml/min). After 20 min of chewing, it was still about 2.7 times that rate and about the same as the flow rate elicited by chewing-gum base alone. The pH of unstimulated saliva was about 6.95. With one gum containing about 1.5% organic acids, the salivary pH fell to a minimum of 6.18 in the 1st minute of stimulation, but then rose rapidly to a level above that in unstimulated saliva. With a sucrose-containing and a sucrose-free gum, the pH rose immediately on stimulation and then fell slightly with time to levels which were significantly above the pH of unstimulated saliva.

Changes in Lactate and Other Ions in Plaque and Saliva after a Fluoride Rinse and Subsequent Sucrose Administration

“…Salivary stimulation is nominally associated with an increase in pH [Dawes and Macpherson, 1992;Chow et al, 1994]. However, a decrease in postsucrose salivary pH is observed here, which may be associated with the large increase in salivary lactic acid (lactate in tables 1, 2).…”

Impact of Saliva and Intraoral Appliance on Erosion Lesions Rehardening Ability - A Pilot Study

“…Since each type of major glands produces saliva with variety in quantity and quality [25,26], it was believed that the remineralizating potential of saliva could be different at various locations in mouth. The mechanical and/or gustatory salivary stimulation is able to increase saliva production, especially of the parotid gland, which might result in higher amount of calcium and phosphate ions available for precipitation onto enamel [27,28]. On the other hand, saliva secreted by the sublingual and submandibular gland contains a high concentration of lysozyme and mucin [29].…”

Saliva A review of its role in maintaining oral health and preventing dental disease

“…7 The effect of stimulation is to increase the concentration of bicarbonate in the saliva entering the mouth. This bicarbonate raises the pH of the saliva and greatly increases its buffering power: the saliva is, therefore, much more effective in neutralising and buffering food acids and acids arising in plaque from the fermentation of carbohydrate.…”