Enzyme Activity Analysis as a Method for the Evaluation of the Action of Oral Preparations

¹ Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, and Department of Experimental Dentistry USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas

Various gum formulations elicit different rates of salivary-gland secretion, the latter being chiefly dependent upon the physical characteristics of the bolus and the amount of sugar included. Formulations which have a more resilient consistency and contain sugar produce higher rates of secretion.

In an effort to develop a reproducible objective method of studying the oral flora, enzyme analysis studies were carried out on both whole saliva and dental plaque. Different test preparations of chewing gum were thus evaluated.

Chewing gum for 10 minutes produced a significant decrease in whole saliva enzyme titers; extending this period produced even further decrease. Cinnamon-flavored gum was significantly more effective than gum base.

In reducing whole saliva enzyme titers, clove-flavored gum was the most effective preparation in "overnight" effect while cinnamon-flavored gum exerted the strongest "immediate" effect.

Neither sweetened gum base, cinnamon gum, nor clove gum imparted measurable bacteriostatic or antienzyme action to the dental plaque.

Extracts prepared from flavored-gum preparations—cinnamon and clove—exhibited antienzyme and/or bacteriostatic action when incubated with pure cultures of oral bacteria.

Alterations in the oral flora may well be detected by this enzyme activity analysis.