Influence of flow rate, pH and plasma fluoride concentrations on fluoride concentration in human parotid saliva

In two separate studies the influence of some physiological factors on salivary fluoride excretion was investigated. In the first study, parotid saliva, at two predetermined flow rates, and capillary blood were sampled after ingestion of 1 mg fluoride. In the second study, parotid saliva was collected at five different flow rates, starting 1 h after ingestion of 5 mg fluoride. Capillary blood was sampled throughout the experiment. The first study showed that parotid saliva and plasma fluoride concentrations were closely correlated (r = 0.81). The mean parotid salivary and plasma fluoride concentration ratio (S/P ratio) +/- SD ranged from 0.29 +/- 0.11 to 0.65 +/- 0.15. The fractions of the ingested fluoride dose excreted from one parotid gland were 0.08 and 0.18% at flow rates of 0.25 +/- 0.02 and 0.49 +/- 0.06 ml/min, respectively. The second study showed that at the mean basal plasma fluoride concentration of 0.65 +/- 0.18 mumol/l the mean S/P ratio was 0.55 +/- 0.24. At a plasma fluoride concentration ranging from 3.5 to 11.6 mumol/l the S/P ratio was 0.73 +/- 0.15. Thus the S/P ratio was influenced by the plasma fluoride concentration, but not by variations in parotid salivary flow rate or pH.