Application and Future Development of Artificial Saliva in People with Dysphagia

Dysphagia is a common clinical symptom, often accompanied by insufficient lubrication of the oral cavity and pharynx, which reduces eating efficiency and nutrient intake, increases the risk of complications such as aspiration pneumonia. Artificial saliva is a product designed to mimic natural saliva, commonly used to provide oral lubrication. However, few studies have demonstrated its efficacy in improving dysphagia. Epidemiological data clarify the characteristics of populations for dysphagia, while the process of swallowing dysfunction induced by etiological factors provides a clinical basis for the application of artificial saliva. This review highlights the importance of artificial saliva in the management of dysphagia, summarizes the current status of research on artificial saliva in recent years, and elucidates the mechanisms underlying the lubrication behavior of artificial saliva from the perspective of the salivary multilayer through its interaction with the salivary conditioning film (SCF), thereby paving the way for next generation artificial saliva.