Effect of saliva collection methods and oral hygiene on salivary biomarkers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of unstimulated and stimulated saliva collection methods, as well as tooth brushing, on the secretion rate of salivary total protein, nitrite, total antioxidant capacity and alpha-amylase. Saliva of 14 healthy individuals were collected with stimulation using Salivette^®, Parafilm^® and chewing gum and without stimulation from spit with and without fluid accumulation, before and after oral hygiene. Total protein, nitrite, total antioxidant capacity and alpha-amylase concentration (sAA) were evaluated. The collection of saliva stimulated with Parafilm^® and chewing gum increased the salivary flow (1.5 ± 0.4 and 3.4 ± 0.7 mL/min, respectively) and the secretion rate of salivary total protein (1.0 ± 0.2 and 2.3 ± 0.5 mg/min, respectively). Also, chewing gum increases the salivary nitrite secretion (213 ± 58 nmol/min) and total antioxidant capacity (410 ± 47 nmol trolox eq/min). Interestingly, the unstimulated method without saliva accumulation prior to collection resulted in low sAA levels (23,531 ± 7979 pixel density). Furthermore, oral hygiene decreased salivary flow (1.3 ± 0.5 to 1.0 ± 0.4 mL/min), reduced the secretion rate of total protein (1.0 ± 0.5 to 0.6 ± 0.2 mg/min, p < .05) and increased sAA (13,159 ± 7114 to 20,075 ± 25,656 pixel density, p < .05). The type of stimulation can activate autonomous receptors responsible for the secretion and composition of saliva. Therefore, the evaluation of saliva collection methods and oral hygiene on salivary biomarkers is important for understanding and standardizing variations in salivary composition to strengthen the use of saliva as a diagnostic fluid.

Keywords:

• Alpha-amylase
• human saliva diagnostic
• nitric oxide
• oral fluid
• salivary antioxidant
• tooth brushing

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Foundation for Research Support of the Minas Gerais State (FAPEMIG – APQ-04655-10). ABJ received graduate fellowships from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), LGP received post-doctoral fellowships from CAPES and FSE are grant recipients of National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq - 308965/2015-9).

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Foundation for Research Support of the Minas Gerais State (FAPEMIG – APQ-04655-10). ABJ received graduate fellowships from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), LGP received post-doctoral fellowships from CAPES and FSE are grant recipients of National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq - 308965/2015-9).