VARIATION OF SALIVARY FLOW-RATE IN ADOLESCENTS

Forty-three children living in North Wales, an area with a temperate c limate, were involved in this study from September 1990 until June 199 1 inclusive. By standardizing the method and timing of collection the effect of external factors on the salivary flow rate was minimized. Fl ow rate was assessed once a month. Of the original group of 43, 18 att ended at each occasion; these were termed the ''regular attendees''. R epeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that unstimulated sali vary flow rate varied within an individual over time in both the total (43, p < 0.001) and the regular groups (18, p < 0.001). This relation remained when the initial September and October measurements were exc luded (p < 0.05; n = 43). When the subgroup, the regular attendees (n = 18), was considered, this relation almost reached statistical signif icance when September was excluded (p = 0.052) and when both months we re omitted the association was no longer evident (p = 0.094). Similar ro previously published results from a study of individuals in a subtr opical climate, salivary flow-rate variation was inversely associated with ambient temperature in both the total (n = 43) and the subsection of regular attendees (n = 18) (p < 0.05). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.