title: [Concentration and individual variation of inorganic ions in unstimulated whole saliva].
abstract: The purpose of this study was to know the range of fluctuation of inorganic ion concentrations and pH in the unstimulated whole saliva and also to know if there is individual difference between subjects which surpasses this fluctuation. Whole saliva was collected seven times between 9 AM and 4 PM at one- or two-hour intervals from ten subjects aged 24 to 27 years. The inorganic ion concentrations and pH were analyzed using an ion chromatogram and a pH electrode respectively. The coefficients of variation of the inorganic ion concentrations were between 24% to 43%, indicating that it is misleading to interpret only one data obtained as the true value of the subject. However, statistical analysis showed that the pH value and inorganic ion concentrations were significantly different among many of the subjects, in spite of the fluctuation within individual subjects. On the other hand, most of the correlations were statistically significant among pH and each of the inorganic ions. Above all, the correlation coefficient between potassium and phosphate ion concentrations was high. In contrast, the sodium ion did not have any significant correlation with most of the other ions. The results were discussed in reference to the salivary secretion mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007206:Individuality; D007477:Ions; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis*; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D010710:Phosphates; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium