Efficacy, Buffering Capacity and Dynamics of Saliva-Stimulating Products

Saliva maintains the health and integrity of the oral cavity while composing a complex symphony within it. Saliva's lubricating qualities not only make talking and swallowing easier, but also promote digestion by breaking down lipids and carbohydrates through enzymatic processes.

To compare the efficacy, buffering capacity and temporal dynamics of six different saliva-stimulating products in a randomised controlled crossover trial.

Twelve healthy adults were enrolled, each testing six products (chewing gum with mint, Salivin, Jaw Peer medium, Jaw Peer large, Jaw Peer small and control) on separate days. Stimulated saliva secretion rate, buffering capacity, and pH were measured at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 min following product use. Comparison between products and different time points for the same product was performed using two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. A significance level of p 0.05 was applied for statistical significance.

Chewing gum with mint and Jaw Peer large produced the highest stimulated saliva secretion rates. The Jaw Peer product showed the greatest decrease in buffering capacity, while Salivin showed stable buffering capacity over time. Significant temporal variations in buffering capacity were observed for all products. No significant differences were found in unstimulated salivary secretion rate between products.

Unstimulated salivary flow rate products exhibit different effects on salivary flow, buffering capacity, and temporal dynamics. Choice of product should be individualised based on patient preferences, specific clinical needs and duration of action, although very limited improvement was noticed with these saliva-stimulating products compared to chewing paraffin alone.