[Influence of saliva on plaque development]

Abstract

Since salivary proteins can bind to bacterial surfaces, their adherence to oral mucosa and tooth surface will be prevented. The same salivary proteins adsorb, however, also selectively to the tooth surface forming a protein layer, the acquired pellicle. By the adherence of bacteria to the tooth surface, the pellicle proteins are their receptors, initiating plaque formation. However, the first binding of salivary proteins to bacterial surfaces occurs in saliva, resulting in aggregation of the microorganisms and consequently, preventing their adherence to the same types of proteins in the pellicle on the tooth surface. In other words, the higher the aggregation capacity of saliva, the lower is the chance on colonization of microorganisms in the oral cavity. The extent of bacterial aggregation by saliva is predominantly determined by the quantitative and qualitative composition of the salivary aggregation factors (= salivary proteins), which differ from person to person.