Relationship of chewing-stimulated whole saliva flow rate and salivary gland size.
OBJECTIVE
We have recently reported that unstimulated whole saliva flow rates (UWSFR) correlate positively with salivary gland sizes and body profiles of weight and body mass indices. In the present study, the correlations of chewing-stimulated whole saliva flow rates (CWSFR) with salivary gland sizes and the body profiles were investigated, and the results were compared with those of UWSFR.


METHODS
Saliva samples were collected from 24 healthy young males and 26 females by the spitting method while chewing paraffin and the CWSFRs were measured. UWSFR and the estimated sizes of the three major salivary glands in our previous study were used.


RESULTS
The CWSFRs in all subjects and in males correlated positively with UWSFR, but not in females. The CWSFRs in all subjects correlated positively with parotid and/or submandibular gland sizes, weights and body mass indices, just as with UWSFR; however, the correlation coefficients with salivary gland sizes were smaller than those of UWSFR. In contrast to the results of UWSFR, the correlation coefficients of the CWSFRs with parotid gland sizes in all subjects were larger than those with the sizes of the submandibular glands. The CWSFRs in males correlated only with parotid gland sizes, and those in females did not correlate with any of the parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the larger the size of the salivary glands, the greater the CWSFR, at least in males.
Ono
Kentaro
K
Department of Biosciences, Kyushu Dental College, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
Inoue
Hiroko
H
Masuda
Wataru
W
Morimoto
Yasuhiro
Y
Tanaka
Tatsurou
T
Yokota
Makoto
M
Inenaga
Kiyotoshi
K
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology