[The determination of salivary pH by contact pH meter in individuals receiving psychotropic therapy. Study of pH on the tongue and at the orifice of Wharton's and Stenon's ducts (author's transl)].
The authors studied salivary pH at different sites in 172 patients receiving psychotropic therapy in hospital. For statistical purposes, the study was limited to individuals receiving a "moderate" dose of: --a benzodiazepine derivative --a neuroleptic and benzodiazepine --antidepressant, neuroleptic and benzodiazepine. Regardless of the type of psychotropic therapy and of the site of measurement, acidification of salivary pH which was statistically significant in comparison with values found in healthy subjects was noted. This acidification was particularly marked with regard to "lingual" pH. In addition, regardless of the site of measurement, a higher degree of acidification of salivary pH was seen in individuals receiving a combination of psychotropic agents. This acidification was particularly striking with regard to salivary pH in patients given a combination of antidepressant, neuroleptic and a benzodiazepine derivative. The cause of this acidification is not definitely known. A number of hypotheses may be put forward: decrease in salivary volume (Laudenbach, 6, and Vermeil, 7), excretion of acid metabolites by the salivary glands, effect of psychotropic agents upon the action itself of the salivary glands.