Introduction

Saliva, secreted by the salivary glands such as the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands, is essential for maintaining oral health. It provides lubrication, protection, aids digestion, maintains pH balance, and defends against pathogens. Rich in diverse components, saliva serves as an external diagnostic tool reflecting overall health. It assists in diagnosing dental caries, periodontal disease, diabetes, and more. As oral medicine advances and specific treatment needs arise, artificial saliva has been developed. This synthetic solution replicates the mineral content, enzymes, and pH of natural saliva and is used for treating dry mouth and other conditions. It typically contains water, electrolytes, viscous substances, enzymes, and other elements to substitute natural saliva's functions.

Clinical Applications of Artificial Saliva

Artificial saliva is mainly utilized for treating xerostomia, a condition resulting from inadequate or altered saliva secretion, causing persistent dry mouth, especially in patients receiving head and neck radiotherapy. Regular use of artificial saliva can quickly deliver lubrication and moisture, thereby reducing the likelihood of complications like cavities and oral mucosal inflammation associated with dry mouth. Nevertheless, the duration of effect for many artificial saliva products is relatively brief. Studies suggest that artificial saliva containing natural ingredients, such as plant-based extracts, might be more effective in alleviating dry mouth symptoms.

Applications of Artificial Saliva in Stomatology Research

Evaluating Dental Products and Tools

Artificial saliva provides a stable environment for testing the performance of dental products and tools. These interact closely with oral saliva, teeth, and mucosal tissues. By simulating these conditions, artificial saliva helps assess durability, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and functionality. It is also used to test the biodegradability of dental metal alloys, evaluating degradation rates and impacts on oral tissues, which are vital for creating innovative, safe, and durable dental materials.

In Medical and Dental Studies

Artificial saliva is instrumental in establishing disease models for investigating the mechanisms of oral diseases. Altering its composition enables researchers to construct models of specific diseases, facilitating the observation of cellular and pathological changes to analyze disease processes. For example, in studying oral microbiomes, artificial saliva serves as a culture medium. By modifying its components, it can mimic different oral environments, allowing for the observation of changes in microbial community structure and function, thereby supporting the maintenance of microbial balance and the prevention of oral diseases.

For Drug Research

Artificial saliva serves as a testing medium and platform for oral disease treatment drugs. It offers a stable and controllable environment for studying drug stability and interactions with saliva components. For oral mucosal diseases, artificial saliva aids in drug dissolution and delivery research. For instance, it can be used to evaluate the dissolution properties of various drug formulations, optimizing formulation design and developing new drug delivery systems.

Conclusion

Overall, as the natural physiological fluid in the mouth, saliva is crucial for oral health. The development of artificial saliva has paved new paths in oral medical research, aiding in the evaluation of dental products and tools and supporting in vitro models for disease and drug studies. In the future, it will be essential to create artificial saliva and related products that more closely match the functions of natural saliva and provide long-lasting release capabilities.