Sweet Shop Sialagogues: A Sour Solution to Sialolithiasis

Historically, boiled sweets have been recommended by ear, nose, and throat surgeons for their sialagogue effect in patients with sialolithiasis. This study presents an in vivo analysis of boiled sweets and solutions to determine sialagogue superiority. Six high-street boiled sweets (lemon sherbets, rhubarb sweets, mint humbugs, Werther’s Original® (August Storck, Germany), Fox's Glacier Fruits® (Fox's Confectionery, Braunstone, Leicester, United Kingdom), and Chupa Chups® lollipops (Perfetti Van Melle, Breda, Netherlands)) and two solutions (malt vinegar and lemon juice) were compared to two controls (no sweet and inert plastic) in two healthy participants. Malt vinegar and lemon juice produced the highest salivary flow. The best-performing boiled sweets were Chupa Chups lollipops and lemon sherbet. Substances with the highest concentrations of citric or lactic acid were the best sialagogues. This pilot study provides a proof of concept for further investigation in this cohort of patients.