title: [Changes in secretion and composition of saliva with aging].
abstract: About 30% of the elderly suffer from oral dryness and related complaints. Therefore, it is often assumed that salivary secretion reduces with age. Nevertheless, salivary flow rate data in healthy elderly--that are persons without any medication and not suffering from any (treatment related) salivary gland disorder--revealed no significant age-related decrease other than a slight decrease of the secretion from the (sero)mucous glands under conditions of minimal or extended stimulation. No age-related changes were observed in the secretion of parotis saliva. In contrast, some age-related changes occur in the organic composition of saliva. The reported decrease in the concentrations of kallikrein, sIgA, low-molecular mucin and high-molecular mucin might be related to a somewhat decreased immunologic and non-immunologic defense of the oral cavity in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Kliniek voor Mondziekten, Kaakchirurgie en Bijzondere Tandheelkunde, Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen, postbus 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vissink
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Spijkervet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Nieuw Amerongen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005850:Geriatric Dentistry; D006801:Humans; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology
vernacular_title: Veranderingen in secretie en samenstelling van speeksel met het ouder worden.