Artificial saliva, which is to help patients using e.g. prostheses or having problems with secreting natural saliva, has been patented by scientists from the Białystok University of Technology, the Medical University of Białystok and the Nantes Systemy Nanotechnology company. Work on a substitute for natural saliva has been going on for 10 years. Up to 40 percent can help. population. How can it be used?
The patent was announced on Wednesday at a press conference at the Białystok University of Technology.
It is at this university – as the vice-rector for science of the Białystok University of Technology, prof. Andrzej Sikorski – 10 years ago, work on artificial saliva began, and for about four years it has been carried out together with the Medical University of Bialystok.
The current patent is the third Bialystok University of Technology related to artificial saliva, two of them are shared with the Medical University.
– Our artificial saliva consists of a base which is mucin. An additive that changes the (…) lubricating properties is xanthan gum. An additive that gives biofunctional properties, mainly in the biological aspect, are gold nanoparticles, told journalists the project coordinator, Dr. Joanna Mystkowska from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Białystok University of Technology.
She added that the preparation does not wear out mechanical orthodontic or prosthetic elements, which allows them to serve patients longer. It was this wear – as Dr. Mystkowska explained – that inspired the work on artificial saliva, when the rate and manner of wear of dental prosthetics elements was studied.
Mystkowska said dry mouth may affect up to 40 percent. society, mainly elderly people taking medications, e.g. for depression or high blood pressure. She added that the modern way of living in tension and stress, and with inadequate hygiene, may affect salivary secretion. – When salivary secretion is disturbed, we are unable to speak, eat or swallow, digestive, cleansing and reminalization properties are reduced – pointed out Mystkowska.
Prof. Halina Car from the Medical University of Bialystok added that people with cancer, such as salivary glands, or glands that produce saliva, also have problems, as well as patients who have damaged these glands as a result of severe oncology treatments. – Hence, the number of people who need artificial saliva is increasing surprisingly also for us – said prof. Car.
– First of all, we wanted to imitate natural saliva – emphasized prof. Car and emphasized that natural saliva has moisturizing and digestive functions as well as defending the body against harmful microorganisms.
Dr. Katarzyna Niemirowicz-Laskowska from the Medical University of Bialystok said that studies have been carried out, which show that the developed preparation both improves the so-called “Lubricity” (related to friction), but also has antimicrobial properties, cares for hygiene for the patient, because it prevents the development of plaque.
– The trick is that each preparation has its own specific properties, while obtaining several beneficial properties in one preparation is definitely a challenge. And this does not mean that we made the best preparation, absolutely not. You know you have to work on it. However, we managed to create a preparation that combines at least four or five properties of natural saliva. This is a phenomenon – said prof. Car.
Work on artificial saliva in Białystok will be continued. Universities and the company they cooperate with want to commercialize the patent.