FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SALIVA

¹ Philadelphia, Pa.

The preceding experiments seem to indicate that a high carbohydrate diet increased the carbohydrate concentration in the whole saliva as well as the ratio of the rate of secretion of the mandibular : parotid saliva, especially during the nocturnal stagnant hours.

A single high carbohydrate meal can temporarily increase the carbohydrate concentration in the whole saliva. A prolonged high carbohydrate diet can produce a prolonged high carbohydrate concentration in the whole saliva.

Paraffin-stimulated saliva is unsuitable for the quantitative determination of carbohydrate in the whole unstimulated saliva.

The preparation of the mouth for collecting the saliva and the method of collecting influence the chemical and physical properties of saliva.

The following factors may alter the carbohydrate concentration in the whole saliva by increasing the rate of secretion: smoking, talking, movement of the tongue, lips, and cheeks, and physical activity.