Development of an electronic device for sialometry of minor salivary glands.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the usefulness of a new electronic device for the measurement of labial gland secretion rate.

Study Design: The device uses an electrical resistance method. Saliva is absorbed by filter paper, and alternating current at 1.0 kHz is passed through the filter paper that was fixed between electrode plates. A voltmeter in the device shows a low potential difference when the amount of saliva absorbed is small. Labial gland secretion rate was estimated from a calibration curve generated from mean values obtained from quantitative tests using saliva obtained from 3 healthy volunteers. To estimate the labial gland secretion rate of healthy subjects, 40 healthy female subjects were examined.

Results: The mean (standard deviation) labial gland secretion rate was estimated at 2.9 (1.3) μL/cm(2)/min.

Conclusion: The electronic device was shown to be able to estimate the labial gland secretion rate.