Source of Resting Total Mixed Saliva of Man

Abstract

The secretory activity of the small mucosal salivary glands and the stimulatory effects of saliva collection methods have been investigated as possible causes of an initially reported discrepancy between observed values for the minute volume of resting total saliva and values calculated from flow rates of component secretions from the major glands. It has been found that the indicated discrepancy is not due to secretory activity of the mucosal glands but is attributable to undue stimulation by the method selected initially for the collection of the total mixed saliva. Observations of the rate of flow of the total mixed saliva and of the secretions of the individual major gland pairs, under conditions which permit elimination of undue stimulation, indicate that the secretions derived from the three major salivary gland pairs fully account for the volume flow of the resting total mixed saliva. Submitted on February 20, 1956