Secretory Function of the Salivary Glands in Patients with Taste Disorders: Correlation Between Zinc Deficiency and Secretory Function of Salivary Glands

Abstract

Not a few patients with taste disorders complain of xerostomia as another subjective symptom. When zinc is subscribed, the xerostomia is often reduced in conjunction with the taste disorders. In this study, therefore, a trial was made to detect xerostomia objectively by determining the function of salivary glandular secretion, and then relationship between zinc deficiency and the xerostomia was examined. Ninety three patients who complained of hypogeusia and/or xerostomia, 27 males and 66 females ranging from 39 to 87 years of age, were subjected to dynamic salivary scintigraphy using 99mTc-pertechnetate. Control data were obtained from 60 patients with unilateral acute peripheral facial palsy. The conclusions obtained were as follows: 1. The normal range of the salivary glandular secretory ratio (S.G.S.R.) was determined from the dynamic salivary scintigraphy using 99mTc-pertechnetate. 2. The xerostomia appeared to be detectable by the above method. 3. Dysfunctional salivary glandular secretion seemed to be associated with abnormal morphology of the papillae of the tongue. 4. No significant relation was found between the severity of taste disorders and the values of S.G.S.R. 5. In terms of the mean value, low values of S.G.S.R. were observed to coincide with zinc deficiency. 6. From the results of zinc treatment, we demonstrated correlations between taste disorders and xerostomia, both of which are among the symptoms of zinc deficiency.