Table 1.

Study inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria:

• At least 18 years old

• Experienced in hernia repairs using mechanical fixation devices and suturing

• Provided the written informed consent form on the day of surgery

Exclusion criteria:

• History of Cushing’s, Addison’s, or Thyroid disease

• Smoked cigarettes or used other forms of tobacco or nicotine within 8 hours of the procedures

• Had any dental work that may have caused injury to tissue in the mouth within the prior 24 hours

• Any open (i.e., bleeding) sores or abrasions in the mouth

• Salivary gland diseases or disorders

• Currently taking steroid-based antiinflammatory or adrenergic agonists/antagonists