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An effective salivation-facilitating method for COVID-19 testing: An experimental study
Misako Higashijima1, Hiroyasu Shiozu2, Tomoya Sakai3
1Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Nishi Kyushu University, Saga, Japan.
Medicine
|July 7, 2023
Summary
Plum pickle presence or consumption significantly increased saliva production in healthy adults, aiding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing. This method offers a simple way to improve saliva collection for diagnostic tests.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Science
- Diagnostic Testing
- Salivary Diagnostics
Background:
- Antigen test kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are widely available but pose challenges for the elderly due to dry mouth.
- Effective saliva collection is crucial for accurate COVID-19 diagnostic testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if a plum pickle can stimulate salivation for improved COVID-19 testing.
- To assess the efficacy of plum pickle presentation and consumption in facilitating saliva production.
Main Methods:
- Twenty healthy adult women were divided into two groups: pickle presentation vs. non-presentation and pickle eating vs. non-eating.
- Saliva production was measured by recording the number of swallows in one minute using a swallowing test device with hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage sensors.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in swallows (saliva production) was observed when participants were presented with plum pickle (P < .01).
- Consuming plum pickle also led to a significant increase in swallows compared to non-consumption (P < .01).
Conclusions:
- Plum pickle effectively facilitates salivation, potentially due to citric acid stimulation, saliva buffer capacity, and motor learning.
- This technique offers a complementary method for efficient specimen collection in COVID-19 testing, avoiding risks associated with direct citric acid intake.
- Further research is needed to validate this method in elderly populations within clinical settings.
