TOOTH-SALIVA INTERFACE PHENOMENA AND DENTAL CARIES

我们最近的研究证实，人类唾液中存在一种系统，它可以 在维护、保护和修复牙齿方面起着重要作用 珐琅。这个系统的主要特征是在唾液中存在，首先， 过饱和但稳定的钙和磷离子浓度，以及 其次，两种唾液大分子稳定了 通过抑制磷酸钙盐析出而使唾液过饱和。 过饱和的唾液通过以下方式为牙齿提供重要保护 提供驱动力，第一，稳定釉质矿物，第二， 反对牙釉质溶解和龋损时矿物质的运输 牙齿，第三，提供了一种修复许多早期龋齿的机制 损伤。沉淀抑制剂通过以下方式控制过饱和度：首先， 防止磷酸钙盐在唾液腺中的沉淀和 第二，因为它们抑制了钙的晶体生长 磷酸盐，它们可以防止牙齿上不必要的矿物质堆积 浮出水面。值得注意的是，它们的作用机制不影响钙和 唾液中的磷酸根离子活性。此外，很可能其中一个或两个都是 抑制物有助于形成获得性牙釉质膜，a 牙釉质表面存在蛋白质被膜，这为牙釉质表面提供了显著的 保护牙齿。 这项拟议的研究的目的是阐明 沉淀抑制剂的作用，既是根据它们的分子结构，这是 现在部分已知，就它们在口腔中的分泌后行为而言 空洞。此外，我们建议建立它们广泛的生物学 研究人类以外的物种，特别是亚人类的意义 用于龋齿和牙周病的灵长类和实验动物 研究。通过这项研究，我们将更好地理解 牙齿和口腔环境之间存在的关系，无论是在 健康和疾病。

Our recent research has established that a system exists in human saliva which plays an important role in the maintenance, protection and repair of dental enamel. The key features of this system are the presence in saliva of, firstly, supersaturated but stabilized concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions, and secondly, two kinds of salivary macromolecules which stabilize the supersaturated saliva by inhibiting precipitation of calcium phosphate salts. The supersaturated saliva provides important protection for the teeth by providing driving forces which, firstly, stabilize the enamel mineral, secondly, oppose enamel dissolution and mineral transport during carious attack of the teeth, and, thirdly, provides a mechanism for the repair of many early carious lesions. The precipitation inhibitors control this supersaturation by, firstly, preventing precipitation of calcium phosphate salts in the salivary glands and the oral cavity, and secondly, because they inhibit crystal growth of calcium phosphate salts, they prevent unwanted accretion of mineral onto the tooth surface. Significantly, their mechanisms of action do not affect calcium and phosphate ion activities in the saliva. Also, it is probable that one or both of the inhibitors contribute to the formation of the acquired enamel pellicle, a protein integument present on the enamel surface which provides significant protection for the teeth. The purpose of the proposed research is to elucidate the mechanisms by which the precipitation inhibitors act, both in terms of their molecular structures, which are now partly known, and in terms of their post-secretion behavior in the oral cavity. In addition, we propose to establish their broad biological significance by studying species other than human, particularly sub-human primates and laboratory animals used for dental caries and periodontal disease research. From this research will come an improved understanding of important relationships which exist between the teeth and their oral environment, both in health and disease.