Impact of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga on Salivary pH: An Exploratory Pilot Study

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Saliva is increasingly used as a diagnostic tool as it is non-invasive, easily accessible, and less stressful compared to blood sampling. Saliva has a vital role in maintaining oral health. It is necessary for the salivary pH to be neutral in the oral cavity for the optimal functioning of its components. Stress has an effect on salivary pH. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To study the effect of a mind-body intervention like Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY) on the salivary pH. <b><i>Methods and Materials:</i></b> An exploratory pilot study involving an open trial on 321 healthy individuals who were novice to SKY was conducted. The salivary pH was measured before and after a single 90-min session of SKY. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The salivary pH continued to be neutral after the intervention in the group that had initial neutral pH. There was a statistically significant shift of pH towards neutral in both the groups that had either acidic or alkaline pH initially. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Mind-body interventions like SKY modulate the salivary pH to bring it to the range of optimal functioning. This pilot study provides information for future long-term studies that can be implemented with measures of anxiety and stress along with measuring other salivary biomarkers.