AMMONIA PRODUCTION IN SALIVA II

¹ Chemistry Department, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

In an attempt to shed further light on the ammonia-producing mechanism in saliva, experiments were performed in which the concentrations, when used separately, and the ratios, when used in conjunction, of urea and glucose added to the saliva were varied. Only small amounts (0.1 per cent) of glucose (no added urea) were needed to obtain large drops in pH. Concentrations of urea (no added glucose) below 0.3 per cent did not cause a rise in pH on incubation. High concentrations of urea (10 per cent) inhibited ammonia production.

A ratio of glucose to urea of about 1:1 exhibits optimum stimulation of ammonia production. If the urea is lowered below 0.2 per cent (added glucose), the drop in pH is not prevented. If the urea is raised above 3 per cent, inhibition in ammonia production is observed.