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Salivary enhancement: current status and future therapies
1Department of Oral Medicine, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, MD, USA. Jatkinson@Dental.umaryland.edu
Journal of Dental Education
|November 9, 2001
Summary
Saliva protects teeth by managing oral microbes and reversing early decay. Therapies boosting salivary function may reverse dental caries in at-risk patients, offering hope for improved oral health.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Oral Health
- Microbiology
Background:
- Saliva is crucial for oral health, protecting teeth and modulating the oral microbiome.
- Inadequate salivary function increases the risk of dental decay (caries).
- Common causes include medications, Sjögren's syndrome, and radiation therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore therapies that increase salivary fluid output to reverse early carious lesions.
- To discuss potential treatments for severe salivary dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on salivary function and caries development.
- Discussion of current treatments (pilocarpine, Cevimeline) for salivary dysfunction.
- Exploration of future therapeutic avenues like gene therapy and tissue engineering.
Main Results:
- Therapies increasing salivary output are hypothesized to reverse early carious lesions.
- Pilocarpine and Cevimeline offer relief for some patients with functional acinar tissue.
- Current medications do not benefit all patients with salivary dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Increasing salivary fluid output is a promising strategy for reversing early dental caries.
- Gene therapy and tissue engineering represent potential future treatments for severe salivary dysfunction.
- Further research is needed to develop effective treatments for all patients with impaired salivary function.