Periodontal mechanoreceptors and parotid secretion in animals and man

Parotid flow was determined in rabbits during feeding. The animals produced more saliva when chewing hard laboratory pellets than with carrots, confirming the findings of Gjörstrup (1980a). We showed that one gland always produced more secretion than the other, and that the dominant gland alternated from side to side with changes in the chewing side. Strain-gauge recordings revealed a remarkable similarity in pattern between mandibular strain and ipsilateral parotid flow. Together, these data suggest that chewing movements and chewing force are involved in the control of parotid secretion. In man, flow rates of parotid saliva collected with a Lashley cup and cannula were recorded. During intermittent clenching on a bite block, we found: (1) a positive correlation between rectified integrated masseter EMG and parotid flow; and (2) that anesthesia of various intra-oral nerves could reduce the flow almost to zero. Crushing a particle of breakfast cereal between two teeth resulted in a reproducible parotid flow which was reduced by infiltration anesthesia around one of these teeth. These data point to the involvement of periodontal mechanoreceptors in the control of parotid secretion in rabbits and man.