Recording of Swallowing Events Using Electromyography as a Non-invasive Measurement of Salivation

The present study examined whether the measurement of swallowing activity by electromyography (EMG) provides a sensitive and valid method for the assessment of the amount of saliva secreted. Thirteen subjects tasted lemon juice and water, and smelled lasagna and hay, while the amount of saliva, measured with the aid of cotton dental rolls, was compared with the number of peaks in the EMG activity of the musculus digastricus. Swallowing indeed differentiated between the stimuli and the correlation between the number of swallows and the amount of saliva was significant. The present data suggest that monitoring the swallowing movement using EMG might be a sensitive, valid and reliable method for the measurement of salivary flow. The use is recommended for the measurement of salivation when a simple and non-invasive method is needed.