Evaluation of two quantitative tests for salivary secretion--the chewing gum test and the Saxon test in normal subjects and in patients with Sj?gren's syndrome

A cooperative multicenter study was performed to evaluate two salivary secretion methods-the chewing gum test and the Saxon test by a crossover method. Twenty healthy volunteers and 27 patients with Sj?gren's syndrome were examined. In healthy controls the amount of saliva collected per minute was larger in the Saxon test. Both tests revealed a significant decrease of salivary secretion in patients with Sj?gren's syndrome, but the amount of saliva per minute was also larger in Saxon test. By repeated trials of both tests a notable increase of saliva was always observed at the second trial. Since this phenomenon may be due to the learning effect of the tests, one should perform at least one practice before starting formal tests. Saxon test could be performed in a patient having dental prostheses who was unable to masticate chewing gum. The Saxon test, thus, may be an efficient method, to evaluate the salivary secretory function.