Dental CariesNCT06501729
Kissing as a Protective Factor Against Acidic pH in Saliva
A study testing Kiss in people with Dental Caries and Tooth Demineralization, run by Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil at 1 site in Ecuador.
Trial summary
The pH of saliva can be acidic or alkaline; When it is acidic, the tooth enamel is demineralized, that is, weakened. Additionally, bacteria in the mouth can increase and cause infections such as cavities. This occurs when we consume sugary or fermented drinks, such as soda or beer. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Dental Caries, Tooth Demineralization, Teeth Erosion Limited to the Enamel
- What is being tested?
- Kiss
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 33 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEcuador
- Study dates
- 30 Jul 2024to 20 Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- They must be in good health
- They must have good oral health according to the raised loss and observed index.
- They will be between 18 and 30 years old to reduce the probability of consuming medications that alter salivary pH.
Who cannot join
- Be taking medications that alter the pH of saliva.
- Have abscesses in the oral cavity
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Ecuador1 site
School of Dentistry of the Catholic University Santiago de Guayaquil
Guayaquil, Guayas, 17-11-5058
About this study
Official title: Potential Effect of Oral Kissing Between Two People Against the Decrease in pH
The pH of saliva can be acidic or alkaline; When it is acidic, the tooth enamel is demineralized, that is, weakened. Additionally, bacteria in the mouth can increase and cause infections such as cavities. This occurs when we consume sugary or fermented drinks, such as soda or beer.
The intention of the research team is to give some of these drinks to the study participants and verify the decrease in salivary pH. Next, a group of people will be asked to kiss their partner on the mouth, and then the pH will be measured again to see if it increases, that is, if it stops being acidic faster than in the group that did not kiss.
The aim is to demonstrate that kissing on the mouth between two people can protect teeth from cavities by rapidly increasing the pH of saliva after it has decreased to become acidic.
Read the detailed description
The goal of this intervention study will be to determine if oral kissing between two people can increase salivary pH more quickly after drinking artificial juices, soft drinks, or (non-alcoholic) beers. It will also be studied whether the pH restoration time is faster when only one person kisses one of the named drinks or when both people do it. The main questions that are intended to be answered are the following:
- Is the act of kissing on the mouth capable of increasing the pH of saliva more quickly than physiologically after consuming a sugary or fermented drink that has decreased it?
- Is the increase in salivary pH after an oral kiss more accelerated when only one person consumes sugary or fermented drinks than when both people do so? The investigators will measure the basal pH of all participants before providing them with one of the drinks (artificial fruit juice, soda, or non-alcoholic beer). The researchers will then give the drinks and measure the decrease in salivary pH in all groups. Control group participants will not kiss; They will only wait for the salivary pH to neutralize physiologically. The rest of the couples will be divided into two groups: the group in which only one person in the couple consumes the sugary or fermented drink, and the group in which both people in the couple do so.
Saliva pH measurements will be performed, after initiation and consumption of the drinks, every 5 minutes for up to 40 minutes. That is, until the restoration of salivary pH is ensured in all groups.
Participants:
- They will be between 18 and 30 years old to reduce the probability of consuming medications that alter salivary pH.
- They should not be taking medications that alter the pH of saliva.
- They must be in good health.
- They should not have abscesses in the oral cavity.
- They must have good oral health according to the loss proposed and the observed index.
- Being tested
- Kiss
- Keywords
- Saliva, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, dental caries
- Medical subject headings
- Dental Caries, Tooth Demineralization
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
KissOther
Participants will kiss with their partners for 40 seconds. The kiss will be on the mouth.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | The couples in the control group will not kiss; they will only wait for the salivary pH to neutralize physiologically. |
| Only one person consumes the drink | Experimental | the group in which only one person in the couple consumes the sugary or fermented drink and they kiss Receives: Other: Kiss |
| Both people consume the drink | Experimental | In this group, both people will consume the drinks and then kiss. Receives: Other: Kiss |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
salivary pH
It is expected to measure the progressive increase in pH until reaching a neutral point, which occurs physiologically between 30 to 40 minutes, and compare the time spent by the control group with that of the experimental group. Measurements will be taken every 5 minutes from the kiss, which will last 40 seconds. In total, there will be 8 measurements, not counting the initial one for surveying the baseline. The measurement will be carried out with a calibrated pH meter. People will be asked to drool into a test tube
Measured: In a period of every 5 minutes, until reaching 40 minutes, which is the time in which physiologically the pH of the saliva is neutralized.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Jul 2024
- Study start30 Jul 2024
- Primary completion20 Feb 2025
- Study completion20 Nov 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Dental CariesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Couples were randomized to one of three parallel study arms: control (no kissing), Experimental Group 1 (one member of the couple consumed the beverage followed by kissing), and Experimental Group 2 (both members of the couple consumed the beverage followed by kissing). After allocation, one participant per couple was randomly selected for repeated salivary pH measurement and analysis. Each selected participant was scheduled to complete three weekly beverage sessions involving Coca-Cola, Cifrut, and non-alcoholic beer.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 33 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fernando Armijos Briones, Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06501729
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 598
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Jul 2024
- Last updated
- 24 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Uma E, Theng KS, Yi LLH, Yun LH, Varghese E, Soe HHK. Comparison of Salivary pH Changes after Consumption of Two Sweetened Malaysian Local Drinks among Individuals with Low Caries Experience: A Pilot Study. Malays J Med Sci. 2018 Jul;25(4):100-111. doi: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.4.10. Epub 2018 Aug 30.
PubMed 30914852Armijos Briones M, Aguila Gaibor M, Bermudez Velasquez A. Kissing as a Protective Factor Against Decreased Salivary pH: Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Jul 17;14:e65253. doi: 10.2196/65253.
PubMed 40674724
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Potential Effect of Oral Kissing Between Two People Against the Decrease in pH
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06501729
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 598
- Keywords
- Saliva, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, dental caries
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 33 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Catolica Santiago de GuayaquilUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Jul 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Nov 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Jul 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The pH of saliva can be acidic or alkaline; When it is acidic, the tooth enamel is demineralized, that is, weakened. Additionally, bacteria in the mouth can increase and cause infections such as cavities. This occurs when we consume sugary or fermented drinks, such as soda or beer.
The intention of the research team is to give some of these drinks to the study participants and verify the decrease in salivary pH. Next, a group of people will be asked to kiss their partner on the mouth, and then the pH will be measured again to see if it increases, that is, if it stops being acidic faster than in the group that did not kiss.
The aim is to demonstrate that kissing on the mouth between two people can protect teeth from cavities by rapidly increasing the pH of saliva after it has decreased to become acidic.
Detailed description
The goal of this intervention study will be to determine if oral kissing between two people can increase salivary pH more quickly after drinking artificial juices, soft drinks, or (non-alcoholic) beers. It will also be studied whether the pH restoration time is faster when only one person kisses one of the named drinks or when both people do it. The main questions that are intended to be answered are the following:
- Is the act of kissing on the mouth capable of increasing the pH of saliva more quickly than physiologically after consuming a sugary or fermented drink that has decreased it?
- Is the increase in salivary pH after an oral kiss more accelerated when only one person consumes sugary or fermented drinks than when both people do so? The investigators will measure the basal pH of all participants before providing them with one of the drinks (artificial fruit juice, soda, or non-alcoholic beer). The researchers will then give the drinks and measure the decrease in salivary pH in all groups. Control group participants will not kiss; They will only wait for the salivary pH to neutralize physiologically. The rest of the couples will be divided into two groups: the group in which only one person in the couple consumes the sugary or fermented drink, and the group in which both people in the couple do so.
Saliva pH measurements will be performed, after initiation and consumption of the drinks, every 5 minutes for up to 40 minutes. That is, until the restoration of salivary pH is ensured in all groups.
Participants:
- They will be between 18 and 30 years old to reduce the probability of consuming medications that alter salivary pH.
- They should not be taking medications that alter the pH of saliva.
- They must be in good health.
- They should not have abscesses in the oral cavity.
- They must have good oral health according to the loss proposed and the observed index.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Couples were randomized to one of three parallel study arms: control (no kissing), Experimental Group 1 (one member of the couple consumed the beverage followed by kissing), and Experimental Group 2 (both members of the couple consumed the beverage followed by kissing). After allocation, one participant per couple was randomly selected for repeated salivary pH measurement and analysis. Each selected participant was scheduled to complete three weekly beverage sessions involving Coca-Cola, Cifrut, and non-alcoholic beer.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | –The couples in the control group will not kiss; they will only wait for the salivary pH to neutralize physiologically. |
| Only one person consumes the drink | Experimental | Other: Kissthe group in which only one person in the couple consumes the sugary or fermented drink and they kiss |
| Both people consume the drink | Experimental | Other: KissIn this group, both people will consume the drinks and then kiss. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- They must be in good health
- They must have good oral health according to the raised loss and observed index.
- They will be between 18 and 30 years old to reduce the probability of consuming medications that alter salivary pH.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Be taking medications that alter the pH of saliva.
- Have abscesses in the oral cavity
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| KissParticipants will kiss with their partners for 40 seconds. The kiss will be on the mouth. | Other | Both people consume the drink, Only one person consumes the drink |
Primary outcome
salivary pH
Time frame: In a period of every 5 minutes, until reaching 40 minutes, which is the time in which physiologically the pH of the saliva is neutralized.
It is expected to measure the progressive increase in pH until reaching a neutral point, which occurs physiologically between 30 to 40 minutes, and compare the time spent by the control group with that of the experimental group. Measurements will be taken every 5 minutes from the kiss, which will last 40 seconds. In total, there will be 8 measurements, not counting the initial one for surveying the baseline. The measurement will be carried out with a calibrated pH meter. People will be asked to drool into a test tube
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Apr 2026.
- Background: PubMed 30914852Uma E, Theng KS, Yi LLH, Yun LH, Varghese E, Soe HHK. Comparison of Salivary pH Changes after Consumption of Two Sweetened Malaysian Local Drinks among Individuals with Low Caries Experience: A Pilot Study. Malays J Med Sci. 2018 Jul;25(4):100-111. doi: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.4.10. Epub 2018 Aug 30.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40674724Armijos Briones M, Aguila Gaibor M, Bermudez Velasquez A. Kissing as a Protective Factor Against Decreased Salivary pH: Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Jul 17;14:e65253. doi: 10.2196/65253.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Kiss in people with Dental Caries and Tooth Demineralization, run by Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil at 1 site in Ecuador.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Ecuador. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
salivary pH (time frame: In a period of every 5 minutes, until reaching 40 minutes, which is the time in which physiologically the pH of the saliva is neutralized.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06501729, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Apr 2026.