Short term fasting and lactovegetarian diet does not affect human saliva

Area of Science:

• Dietary science
• Oral microbiology
• Human physiology

Background:

• Diet significantly impacts physiological processes.
• Understanding dietary effects on oral health is crucial.
• Saliva plays a vital role in maintaining oral homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a 6-day fasting period followed by a 6-day lactovegetarian diet on whole saliva parameters in adults.
• To assess the influence of dietary interventions on salivary secretion rate, buffer capacity, electrolyte concentrations, and microbial flora.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 42 adults at a Swedish health home.
• Inclusion of a 6-day fasting period.
• Subsequent 6-day lactovegetarian diet intervention.

Main Results:

• Minimal and mostly non-significant changes observed in saliva secretion rate.
• No significant alterations in the buffer effect of whole saliva.
• Minor, non-significant variations in electrolyte concentrations.
• Limited impact on the counts of lactobacilli and Streptococcus mutans.

Conclusions:

• Short-term fasting and lactovegetarian diets show negligible effects on key salivary parameters.
• The oral environment's stability may be resilient to short-term dietary shifts.
• Further research could explore longer-term dietary impacts or different dietary patterns.