Effect of Caffeinated Soft Drinks on Salivary Flow

Soft drinks containing caffeine have been associated with more aggressive forms of dental decay. Cariogenicity of caffeinated soft drinks may be attributed to the effect of caffeine on salivary flow. This study assessed whether caffeinated soft drinks produced short-term oral dryness in healthy adults.

The authors collected saliva on two separate days from 35 participants before and one hour after drinking a soft drink. On one of the days the soft drink was caffeinated and on the other day it was not. Saliva collection involved 15 minutes unstimulated whole saliva, 5 minutes paraffin-stimulated whole saliva, and 10 seconds labial minor salivary gland output.

Unstimulated and stimulated flow rates slightly increased and minor gland output slightly decreased one hour after the soft drink consumption regardless of caffeine content. These changes were not statistically significant (two-period two-treatment crossover trial using two-stage Grizzle model, p>0.05). A linear mixed model statistic did not show the caffeine effect on salivary flow rate.

Caffeinated soft drink consumption had no significant effect on salivary flow rate after one hour by any of the three measures employed in this study. Caffeine's contribution to the cariogenicity of soft drinks is likely by centrally-mediated effects on consumption patterns.