It has been suggested that salivary flow rate decreases with age. As is kno
wn, the presence of a thin salivary film layer is essential for the comfort
of the mucosa beneath a denture base and for denture retention. The purpos
e of this study was to determine the flow rates, viscosity and the pH of re
sting and stimulated whole saliva before and after prosthetic treatment in
complete denture wearing patients. Saliva was collected under clinical cond
itions between 08.00 and 10.00 hours. The flow rates of whole saliva were m
easured at three stages: (i) resting and stimulated saliva before prostheti
c treatment; (ii) immediately after the first wearing of the complete dentu
re; and (iii) resting and stimulated saliva after 2 or 3 months of wearing
the complete denture. Saliva production was stimulated by chewing paraffin
wax. Flow rate was calculated as collected volume/collection time. It was f
ound that there was a significant difference between resting and stimulated
whole salivary flow rates before and after complete denture wearing.