Stimulated salivary flow rate and buffer effect in schoolchildren from Greenland and Sweden: a comparative study

To compare food habits and stimulated salivary flow rate and buffer effect between schoolchildren from Greenland and Sweden and to evaluate whether the change in lifestyle concerning eating habits in Sweden during recent decades has resulted in any obvious alteration in these salivary properties.

Fifty healthy schoolchildren from Greenland were included and compared with 50 age-matched and gender-matched Swedish children. Whole saliva stimulated by chewing was collected, and prior to sampling each participant filled in a simple questionnaire regarding their food habits.

Salivary flow rate and buffer effect were significantly (p<0.001) higher for the Greenlandic children. The difference in flow rate was on average 0.71 ml/min. Milk, fish/meat and fruit/vegetables were more frequently consumed by the Swedish children, while snacks, soft drinks and sweets had a higher consumption frequency on Greenland. No obvious correlation could be found between consumption frequency of the tested food products and flow rate or buffer effect of saliva. Twenty-nine Swedish children were within the age range+/-6 months of an age with earlier documented values of stimulated salivary flow rate. Twenty-six of these 29 Swedish children were within the 25-75 percentile range of the old values, while 22 of their Greenlandic "twins" were in or above percentile 75.

Obvious differences in salivary flow rate and buffer effect between schoolchildren from Greenland and Sweden illustrated the importance of being cautious when exchanging reference data between different cultures/ethnic groups.