saliva

Could Artificial Saliva Help Protect Wisdom Teeth and Other High-Risk Teeth From Decay?

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Most people think of saliva as something they barely notice—until it is gone. But saliva plays a major role in protecting teeth from acid, bacteria, and enamel damage. New research (Natara Dias Gomes Da Silva, Paulo Sérgio da Silva Santos, Flávio Henrique-Silva, Ana Carolina Magalhães, Marcos Roberto Chiaratti, Elbert de Josselin de Jong, Pamela K DenBesten, Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf. A novel artificial saliva enriched with CaneCPI-5 for irradiated head and neck cancer (HNC) patients: in vitro antimicrobial and anticaries effect. Journal of Dentistry, 2025; 163: 106176) suggests that an artificial saliva made with a sugarcane-derived protein may one day help protect teeth in a way that is much closer to natural saliva. That could be especially important for people with dry mouth, high cavity risk, and hard-to-clean areas such as around wisdom teeth. The key ingredient in this new approach is … Read more

Why Some Kids Have “Chalky” Teeth: The Secret Role of Saliva

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Have you ever noticed white, yellow, or even brown spots on your child’s teeth? If so, you might be dealing with Hypomineralized Second Primary Molars (HSPM) or Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH). While these long names sound intimidating, they essentially describe “chalky” enamel—teeth that didn’t harden properly during development. A new study published in the Journal of Dentistry (November 2025) is now taking a closer look at a surprising factor: your child’s saliva. What are HSPM and MIH? These conditions are qualitative defects in tooth enamel. Instead of the enamel being strong and glass-like, it is porous and soft. Because this enamel is weaker, these teeth are much more likely to crumble under the pressure of chewing or develop cavities—sometimes up to 10 times more frequently than healthy teeth. https://pixabay.com/photos/portrait-boy-child-son-happiness-3033181 The Saliva Connection: What the Research Found We’ve always known that … Read more