Effects of Weight Watchers' diet on salivary secretion rate, buffer effect and numbers of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli.

The aim of this investigation was to study how a change to the dietary regimen of the Weight Watchers' (WW) affected salivary secretion rate, buffer effect and number of cariogenic bacteria. Thirty-three women joining the WW were saliva sampled at the evening prior the day of the start of the dietary regimen and after 4 and 8 wk on the dietary regimen. No significant changes were found regarding saliva secretion rate and buffer effect. A significant decrease of salivary numbers of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli occurred. Between the 4th and 8th wk of dietary regimen an increase of cariogenic bacteria occurred but not back to the baseline values. At baseline 15 of the WW carried Streptococcus sobrinus in addition to Streptococcus mutans. The total number of salivary mutans streptococci and lactobacilli was significantly higher in those subjects. In conclusion the dietary regimen of the WW, based on food choice and distributions of meals in agreement with a non-cariogenic diet, reduced the number of cariogenic bacteria in most subjects, but not in all, while the secretion rate and buffer effect remained the same.