OBJECTIVE:

To determine the average salivary flow rates and total protein concentrations in a population of the State of Mexico.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

A gravimetric and spectrophotometric analysis was applied to 120 subjects in total resting and stimulated whole saliva and results were correlated with the DMFT and CPITN indexes.

RESULTS:

Subjects allowed average salivary flow rate (ml/min +/- SD). in non-stimulated human whole saliva (HWS) of 0.397 +/- .26 and in stimulated HWS of 0.973 +/- .53. Average protein concentration was (mg/ml +/- SD) 1.374 +/- .45 in non-stimulated HWS and 1.526 +/- .44 in stimulated HWS. Females showed a lower percentage of salivary flow and greater protein concentrations. No correlations were observed between flow and total protein concentration, and DMFT and CPITN; however, correlations were present with other variables.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings could be associated to degree of nutrition, genetic characteristics and level of oral disease in our population. Present results represent the first step to create a database in sialochemistry to identify risk indicators of specific oral and systemic diseases.