This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Percival, R.S. Articles by Marsh, P.D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Percival, R.S. Articles by Marsh, P.D. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Seniors' Health Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Flow Rates of Resting Whole and Stimulated Parotid Saliva in Relation to Age and Gender

Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, UMDS, Guy's Hospital, London SEl 9RT

SJ Challacombe

Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, UMDS, Guy's Hospital, London SEl 9RT

P.D. Marsh

Pathology Division, PHLS Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 OJG, England

Dry mouth is a common feature in the elderly, but it is not clear what proportion of incidences are related to functional disturbances and whether age per se and gender play a role. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of age and gender on salivary flow rates. The effect of age on unstimulated (resting) whole and stimulated parotid saliva flow rates was determined in 116 unmedicated, healthy individuals. The subjects were divided into four age groups: 20-39 years (group A), 40-59 years (group B), 60-79 years (group C), and 80 years and over (group D). A significant decrease in the secretion rates of unstimulated whole saliva in relation to age was observed in the study population (p < 0.001). However, the flow rates of stimulated parotid saliva were not significantly different in the four age groups. Females had significantly lower mean flow rates than males for both unstimulated (resting) whole saliva (p < 0.005) and stimulated parotid saliva (p < 0.05). In the study as a whole, significant negative correlations were found between either the DMF index (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) or the DMFS index (decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces) and the flow rates of unstimulated whole saliva (p < 0.02), but no relationship to stimulated parotid saliva flow rates was apparent.

The results suggest that elderly subjects have no impairment in their ability to respond to sialogogues but that resting saliva rates are significantly lower than in younger individuals and may contribute to the increase in oral mucosal diseases seen in the elderly.

Key Words: Aging • Salivation • Gender.

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 73, No. 8, 1416-1420 (1994)
DOI: 10.1177/00220345940730080401


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Ibayashi, T. Nishiyama, M. Tanaka, T.-M. Pham, J. Yano, K. Sakai, A. Kobayashi, N. Yakura, and S. Matsuda Effects of Oral Health Care on Salivary Flow Rate in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Preliminary Study Asia Pac J Public Health, July 1, 2009; 21(3): 279 - 286. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. G. Butler, A. Stuart, D. Castell, G. B. Russell, K. Koch, and S. Kemp Effects of Age, Gender, Bolus Condition, Viscosity, and Volume on Pharyngeal and Upper Esophageal Sphincter Pressure and Temporal Measurements During Swallowing J Speech Lang Hear Res, February 1, 2009; 52(1): 240 - 253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. C. Thoeny, F. De Keyzer, F. G. Claus, S. Sunaert, and R. Hermans Gustatory Stimulation Changes the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient of Salivary Glands: Initial Experience Radiology, May 1, 2005; 235(2): 629 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. B. PALMER, K. ALBULAK, S. FIELDS, A. M. FILKIN, S. SIMON, and G. C. SMALDONE Oral Clearance and Pathogenic Oropharyngeal Colonization in the Elderly Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 1, 2001; 164(3): 464 - 468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Nederfors Xerostomia and Hyposalivation Advances in Dental Research, December 1, 2000; 14(1): 48 - 56. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. Marcotte and M. C. Lavoie Oral Microbial Ecology and the Role of Salivary Immunoglobulin A Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., March 1, 1998; 62(1): 71 - 109. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]