This narrative review of the functions of saliva was conducted in the PubMed, Embase and
Web of Science databases. Additional references relevant to the topic were used, as our key …

Whole saliva is a complex mixture of proteins and other molecules which originate from
several sources. The biochemical and physicochemical properties of saliva contribute to the …

Oral lubrication deals with one of the most intricate examples of biotribology, where surfaces
under sliding conditions span from the hardest enamel to soft oral tissues in human …

The chronic sensation of a dry mouth is a disease condition called xerostomia and affects a
large part of the population. Xerostomia is associated with decreased secretion, or more …

Astringency plays an important role in the sensory experience of many foods and
beverages, ranging from wine to nuts. Given the recent trend toward fortifying consumables …

Previous biochemical studies have determined that human saliva contains high and low
molecular weight mucin glycoproteins (MG1 and MG2, respectively) that are structurally …

Salivary agglutinin is a high molecular mass component of human saliva that binds
Streptococcus mutans, an oral bacterium implicated in dental caries. To study its protein …

Astringency is one of the most complex oral sensations. This dry, puckering mouthfeel
occurs when consuming wine, tea, or other foods containing polyphenols. The exact …

Goal The aim of this review is to summarize the in vitro and in vivo evidence on the
performance of contemporary saliva substitutes in the treatment of xerostomia and …

The role of saliva in the oral cavity is manifold; an important function is to serve as lubricant
between hard (enamel) and soft (mucosal) tissues. Intraoral lubrication is of crucial …