Submandibular/sublingual saliva

A. Oliveby, F. Lagerlof, J. Ekstrand, C. Dawes, Studies on fluoride concentrations in human submandibular/sublingual saliva and their relation to flow rate and plasma fluoride levels, J. Dent. Res. 68 (1989) 146-149. 

TAC values of various body fluids are given in Table 10. TAC of cerebrospinal fluid and of saliva is considerably lower than that of blood plasma. TAC of saliva was found to be slightly lower in women than in men (by about 17%) (P13) and to be correlated with TAC of blood plasma and independent of age or sex. TAC of parotid saliva was higher by 147% than that of submandibular/sublingual saliva (Nl). 

Shomers et al. [96] cited the large variation in individual samples of submandibular-sublingual saliva as the reason for their finding of a similar average content of cysteine-rich phosphoproteins in groups of caries-resistant and caries-susceptible subjects. 

Shomers JP, Tabak LA, Levine MI, Mandel ID, Hay DI Properties of cysteine-containing phos-phoproteins from human submandibular-sublingual saliva. J Dent Res 1982 61 397-399. 

Unlike the skin, the mucosae of the oral cavity are constantly maintained moist by the continual secretion of saliva from the three major salivary glands (submandibular, parotid, and sublingual) and the minor salivary glands located in or beneath the mucosae. The thickness of the salivary film (pellicle) has been calculated to be between 70 /rm and 100 /./m [23] however, both the composition and amount of saliva produced can vary between individuals, with time of day, disease states, and drug therapy [33], all of which must be taken into account when considering the oral cavity as a site for drug delivery. 

Submucosa. The submucosa is a relatively dense connective tissue with a few accessory salivary glands (mucus acinus).102 The saliva is secreted primarily by parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands at a rate of 0.5 to 2 L/day.94 Apart from water, saliva is composed of electrolytes, mucin (forms mucus with water), amylase, lysozyme (a bacteriostatic enzyme), IgA antibodies, and metabolic wastes such as urea and uric acid.18 The pH of saliva varies between 6.8 and 7.2.96... 

Based on the features of secreted primary saliva, secretory endpieces (acini) of salivary glands can be characterized as serous, seromucous, or mucous. The acini of parotid gland are mainly serous and seromucous, those of submandibular gland are mainly seromucous, and those of sublingual gland are mainly mucous. The acini of the minor salivary glands have various features that depend on their location (1). 

A distinct feature of the sublingual mucosa is its capacity to produce most of the saliva in the oral cavity. Saliva is produced mainly in the sublingual region by the submandibular, parotid, or... 

Appreciable differences occur in the proportions of its constituents according to the source of the saliva. For instance, parotid saliva is rich in amylase and phosphate and poor in mucus and calcium compared with submandibular and sublingual secretions. The minor mucous glands secrete saliva which contains traces only of phosphate and have chloride as their main anion. 

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