Effect of Chewing on the Secretion of Salivary Components during Fasting

Two groups, each consisting of 9 persons, fasted for 7 days on a liquid low-calorie diet. One of the groups chewed on paraffin wax for 10 min five times daily after meals. Samples of whole stimulated and resting saliva were collected before and during fasting. Fasting on the liquid diet alone led to a decrease in secretion rate, phosphate and Ca and an increase in sodium, fucose, hexosamine, and the ratio of protein to sialic acid. Fasting in combination with chewing still led to a decrease in secretion rate and Ca but to no change in the other measured parameters. When resting saliva collected from the test group and the control group was analyzed no differences were found. In both groups there was a decrease in lysozyme and thiocyanate and an increase in the activity of salivary peroxidase.