Salivary flow measurements in a clinical setting: the Dutch consensus statement

Uniform measurement of the salivary flow rate is crucial in diagnosing hyposalivation and hypersalivation. However, there is considerable variation in the methods used to assess salivary flow rates. This variation of collection methods makes it difficult to compare data and to set well-established threshold values for hypo- and hypersalivation. Therefore, there is a need for standardised methods to measure the salivary flow rates in a clinical setting. This study describes the Dutch consensus statement for measuring unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates in a clinical setting. This may help in the development of an international standardised protocol for the assessment of salivary flow rates in clinical settings.