Sialometry measures the amount of saliva produced by the salivary glands, such as the parotid and submandibular glands, as well as the numerous minor salivary glands in the mouth.
The parotid glands produce saliva with stimulation, such as eating, chewing gum, or smelling a tasty meal. The submandibular glands produce saliva on a continuous basis and thus serve to keep your mouth moist even when you are not eating. The total amount of saliva in your mouth is a mixture of fluids generated from salivary glands but also from the crevices of your teeth.
The following tests can measure saliva production:
1. Unstimulated whole saliva production. You will be asked to sit quietly for 5 minutes, without talking or chewing, and spit any saliva that accumulates into a pre-weighed tube. The accumulated saliva is then measured.
2. Stimulated whole saliva production. You will be asked to chew on a piece of paraffin for 5 minutes and spit any accumulated saliva into a pre-weighed tube. The accumulated saliva is then measured.
3. Stimulated parotid saliva production. Special suction cups are placed over the two small openings in your mouth where the saliva produced by your parotid glands is released. Saliva produced by your parotid glands is collected in pre-weighed tubes for a period of 5-15 minutes. A sour liquid (such as lemon juice) is applied to your tongue throughout the test to stimulate parotid saliva flow.
Saliva flow varies from person to person and does not always match the feeling of dry mouth. Low saliva production can be measured with these tests, but it does not necessarily mean a person has Sjögren’s disease or another condition affecting saliva production.
