THE CONCENTRATION OF ELECTROLYTES IN NORMAL HUMAN SALIVA

Abstract

Parotid saliva collected by fitting small cups over the parotid papillae showed increased Na, Cl, bicarbonate and pH concentrations with increasing rates of secretion, but the K and PO4 concentrations remained constant at secretion rates greater than 0.5 ml/minute. Although K and PO4 were always at concentrations higher than serum levels, the parotid juice was always hypotonic but decreasingly so as the rate of flow increased. No difference was noted between the effect of dilute acetic acid and glucose candy. The K concentration in parotid saliva was higher than in mixed submaxillary and sublingual saliva. The secretory rate showed cyclic variations.