A comparison of two clinical methods for measuring saliva in patients with Sjögren's syndrome

Abstract

Objective. The aim of the present study was to evaluate two different ways of measuring unstimulated and stimulated whole salivary output in the dental clinic, namely by volume (mL/min) and by weight (g/min). Materials and methods. Thirty-one patients diagnosed with Secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SSS) participated in the study. Results. The results showed a large discrepancy between the measurements performed by volume and by weight (p < 0.001) and additionally when taking into account density calculation, especially in individuals with low salivary secretion rate. Conclusion. It is suggested that weight measurement of saliva should be more routinely implemented, especially in patients with reduced salivary secretion.

Key Words::

• hyposalivation
• saliva
• saliva measurement
• salivary secretion rate

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.