Parotid Fluid Flow Rate, Parotid Fluid, and Serum Inorganic Phosphate Concentrations as Related to Dental Caries Status in Man

¹ Experimental Dentistry Department, USAF Schtool of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas

Inorganic phosphate determinations were carried out on blood serum and parotid fluid obtained with no exogenous stimulation from 514 healthy young adult males classified as to dental caries status (DMFS). No significant differences were found in flow rate or serum inorganic phosphate concentration of the six DMFS groups. Parotid fluid inorganic phosphate concentration was inversely related to dental caries experience, this relationship becoming particularly significant when subjects with DMFS rates of 40 or less were compared to those participants with rates of more than 40. There is no diagnostic significance in this observation at the present time.