Factors Controlling the Formation of Salivary Films

The aim of this study is to determine how different ingredients which are found in food and other consumer products affect the ability of saliva to form surface films. Saliva forms a protective film on the surfaces inside the mouth. This film affects the way we consume and digest food and protects our teeth and other surfaces inside the mouth from disease and decay. It is not well known how this film forms, or which components in everyday life affect formation of the film, and therefore its protective properties. Samples of saliva will be collected from apparently healthy volunteers. The properties of the film (thickness, density, strength, protein composition) will be studied in the laboratory under controlled conditions. The effects of common ingredients in foods and other products such as proteins, emulsifiers, preservatives and surfactants on the formation and properties of the film will be determined. The results of this study will help us to understand how different ingredients can change the properties of saliva that may affect the way that we sense and digest food, and the ability of saliva to protect against decay and infection. This could, in the future lead to new ideas for developing:healthy foods (e.g. lower fat) that taste better, or more effective dental care products.