SALIVARY SECRETION - STIMULATORY EFFECTS OF CHEWING-GUM VERSUS PARAFFIN TABLETS

Paraffin tablets are commonly used in clinical saliva tests whereas ch ewing-gum is recommended to increase salivation in xerostomic patients . The aim of this study was to compare the effect on salivation of the se stimuli. Saliva stimulated by chewing-gum or paraffin tablets was s ampled on separate occasions from eight healthy subjects (25-45 yr), W hole or parotid saliva were collected for 6 min (1 min + 5 min) and 21 min (1 min + 5 min x 4), respectively, pH of saliva was measured with and without the addition of HCl (titrated pH). Total parotid protein was measured using the mu BSA-assay. Initially, flow rates were signif icantly higher during the chewing of gum vs. paraffin tablets (whole s aliva 5.18 vs. 2.99 ml/min, parotid saliva 0.83 vs. 0.42 ml/min). Conv ersely, during final chewing periods, parotid flow rates, pH, and titr ated pH were significantly higher during paraffin chewing. When compar ing the stimuli, parotid protein output was higher initially during gu m chewing, but in the final period paraffin chewing elicited the highe r output. It was concluded that the clinical test of paraffin chewing gives a good estimate of the expected whole saliva response to chewing -gum. Furthermore, extended chewing of paraffin tablets seemed to infl uence parameters of parotid saliva positively.