Fluoride in whole saliva, parotid ductal saliva and plasma in children

The purpose was to investigate the relation between fluoride concentrations in whole saliva, parotid ductal saliva, and plasma in 5- to 10-year-old ch ildren (n? = 17). Two stimulated whole-saliva samples were obtained from ea ch child. Before the second sample was obtained, each child rinsed several times with a total of 100 mi of deionized water. Parotid saliva samples wer e obtained by use of a Lashley cup. Fluoride concentrations were determined by fluoride ion-specific electrode after diffusion with hexamethyldisiloxa ne. Rinsing with deionized water did not significantly reduce the fluoride concentration in whole saliva. The whole-saliva fluoride concentrations wer e not significantly related to those in plasma or parotid ductal saliva. Pa rotid fluoride concentrations, however, were significantly related to plasm a fluoride concentrations (p < 0.0001) by a proportionality constant of 0.8 0. It was concluded that parotid salivary fluoride concentrations can be us ed to estimate plasma fluoride concentrations in 5-to 10-year-old children. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.