Measurement of Kinematic Viscosity of Unstimulated Whole Saliva by Capillary Viscometer (CAT#: STEM-PPA-0005-YJL)

Introduction

Whole saliva is a watery complex mixture of proteins and other molecules secreted principally by the salivary glands. Saliva contributes to numerous functions in oral cavity such as speech and swallowing of foods, maintenance of oral health, protection of mucosa from bacterial attack and fungal growth, prevention of demineralization of teeth and lubrication of oral cavity. Lubrication is generated by the viscous resistance to motion of saliva between surfaces and viscosity is the most representative parameter of this function. The most important macromolecules that contribute largely to the rheological properties and to the protective action of saliva are mucins. Rheologically saliva is a non-Newtonian pseudo plastic fluid (i.e. dynamic viscosity decreases upon increasing shear rate). Understanding saliva rheology and the principles that affect his properties are clinically important for people with a compromised or altered function or production of saliva.