Characterization of oral in vivo films formed on different types of solid surfaces

Studies were made of oral films formed in vivo, which had been allowed to form on fused silica and Ge-prisms during periods between 2 s and 2 h using a variety of physico-chemical methods. To produce surfaces of different qualities the silica and Ge-prisms had either been detergent-washed, glow discharge treated or covered with polydimethylsiloxane. The following simultaneous analytical techniques were performed on the adsorbed films: a. internal reflection infrared spectroscopy, b. ellipsometry, c. contact potential measurements, d. contact angle measurements, e. scanning electron microscopy and f. energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. The results of these studies show that the formation of oral films proceeds at high speed and is of a certain qualitative selectivity. The formed films were found to be stable over long periods of time, and only showed patches of adhering micro-organisms on some of the prisms which had been exposed in the oral cavity for 2 h.