Effects of gustatory stimulants of salivary secretion on salivary pH and flow: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives:  To compare salivary pH changes and stimulation efficacy of two different gustatory stimulants of salivary secretion (GSSS).Setting:  Portuguese Dental Faculty Clinic.Design:  Double blind randomized controlled trial.Subjects:  One hundred and twenty volunteers were randomized to two intervention groups. Sample sized was calculated using an alpha error of 0.05 and a beta of 0.20.Materials and methods:  Participants were randomly assigned to receive a new gustatory stimulant of secretory secretion containing a weaker malic acid, fluoride and xylitol or a traditionally citric acid‐based one. Saliva collection was obtained by established methods at different times. The salivary pH of the samples was determined with a pH meter and a microelectrode.Main outcome measures:  Salivary pH variations and counts of subjects with pH below 5.5 for over 1 min and stimulated salivary flow were the main outcome measures.Results:  Both GSSS significantly stimulated salivary output without significant differences between the two groups. The new gustatory stimulant of salivary secretion presented a risk reduction of 80 ± 10.6% (95% CI) when compared with the traditional one.Conclusions:  Gustatory stimulants of salivary secretion with fluoride, xylitol and lower acid content maintain similar salivary stimulation capacity while reducing significantly the dental erosion predictive potential.