Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 50, Issue 5 M285-M289, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Longitudinal analysis of parotid and submandibular salivary flow rates in healthy, different-aged adults

JA Ship, NE Nolan and SA Puckett
Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Surgery, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, USA.

BACKGROUND: Early studies suggested that salivary gland dysfunction was a normal sequela of aging. Recent research on healthy, different-aged adults has led to a revision of these former conclusions. Parotid gland function appears to be age-stable, yet there is no consensus on submandibular/sublingual output. To date, there have only been two longitudinal studies utilizing healthy individuals examining parotid function, and no published longitudinal studies on submandibular/sublingual output. The purpose of this study was to examine unstimulated and stimulated major salivary gland flow rates in unmedicated, essentially healthy subjects, over a 3-year period. METHODS: Thirty-seven males and females, aged 26-90 years of age, were examined twice over a 3-year period at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health. All were healthy, community-dwelling adults, without systemic diseases, and not taking any medications. Unstimulated and 2% citrate-stimulated parotid and submandibular/sublingual salivary gland flow rates were assessed at both visits, and changes over time were evaluated according to the subject's age at initial visit. RESULTS: There were no significant flow rate differences over a 3-year time period for unstimulated and stimulated parotid and submandibular/sublingual flow rates. CONCLUSIONS: Major salivary gland output is aged-stable in healthy persons over a 3-year period. The data from this study suggest that salivary gland dysfunction in an older person should not be considered a normal process of aging.

This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)

				E.M. Ghezzi and J.A. Ship Aging and Secretory Reserve Capacity of Major Salivary Glands J. Dent. Res., October 1, 2003; 82(10): 844 - 848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]