No, lemon actually stimulates saliva production, although the flow decreases over time.
Lemon juice doesn't stop saliva; in fact, it does the opposite. The sourness of lemon triggers the salivary glands to produce more saliva. While the increased saliva flow is highest initially, it diminishes over a few minutes.
Here's a breakdown based on available information:
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Lemon as a Saliva Stimulant: Lemon juice is a known sialagogue, meaning it promotes saliva secretion.
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Initial Increase: Upon consuming lemon juice, saliva production increases significantly. Studies show a substantial rise in salivary flow immediately after lemon intake.
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Decreasing Flow: The effect is not sustained. Saliva production decreases gradually after the initial surge. One study indicated that salivary flow was highest in the first minute after lemon juice intake and then gradually decreased over the following four minutes.
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Temporary Effect: The impact of lemon on saliva is temporary. It doesn't permanently stop saliva production; instead, it causes a short-term increase followed by a return to normal levels.
Therefore, using lemon to stop saliva would be counterproductive.
