Method: Six healthy volunteers (mean age, 21.2 years, 3 men, 3 women) with normal occlusion and without any history or signs of medical disorders.We developed and proposed saliva in floor of mouth collector as a non-invasive and non-disturbing manner. Subjects were instructed to take a 6-hour of sleep from 0: 00 to 6: 00 on the bed in the shield room covered by blackout curtain, where an electro encephalogram and saliva were collected continuously in the time series. And we examined the changes in alpha amylase activity; sIgA concentration and numbers of bacteria when aroma (Black pepper, Cardamom and Cinnamon) applies while a sleep.
Result: In a non-aroma sleep, the variations were found in both sIgA concentration and numbers of bacteria, which increased with time from its lowest value in the falling sleep to its highest value in an awakening, but alpha-amylase activity slightly reduced in stage 3 and 4 compared with stage 1. In an aroma application, sIgA concentration more increased to 130-150% of the control, but numbers of bacteria decreased to 30-70% of the control. Alpha-amylase activity enhanced to 250-360% of the control. Electro encephalogram was not difference-compared aroma with non-aroma sleep.
Conclusion: These results suggested that the aroma was utilizable to enhance of salivary antibacterial activity while a sleep. Since increasing of salivary alpha-amylase activity during aroma appliance, which might be risen of sympathetic nervous system. And aroma did not interact to a sleep depth.