Impact of Acquired Pellicle Modification on Adhesion of Early Colonizers.

New preventive approaches against dental erosion caused by acidic drinks and beverages include fortification of beverages with natural polymers. We have shown that the mixture of casein and mucin significantly improved the erosion-inhibiting properties of the human pellicle layer. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pellicle modification by casein, mucin and a casein-mucin mixture on the adhesion of early bacterial colonizers.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate) block copolymers for calcium phosphate mineralization and biofilm inhibition.

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) has long been used as an additive in toothpaste, partly because it reduces biofilm formation on teeth. It does not, however, reduce the formation of dental calculus or support the remineralization of dental enamel or dentine. The present article describes the synthesis of new block copolymers on the basis of PEO and poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate) blocks using atom transfer radical polymerization.

Role of amylase, mucin, IgA and albumin on salivary protein buffering capacity: a pilot study.

It has been suggested that proteins serve as major salivary buffers below pH5. It remains unclear, however, which salivary proteins are responsible for these buffering properties. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the correlation between salivary concentration of total protein, amylase, mucin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), albumin and total salivary protein buffering capacity at a pH range of 4-5.

Comparison of three strip-type tests and two laboratory methods for salivary buffering analysis.

This study evaluated the correlation between three strip-type, colorimetric tests and two laboratory methods with respect to the analysis of salivary buffering. The strip-type tests were saliva-check buffer, Dentobuff strip and CRT(®) Buffer test. The laboratory methods included Ericsson's laboratory method and a monotone acid/base titration to create a reference scale for the salivary titratable acidity.

Brominated flame retardants in fish of Lake Geneva (Switzerland).

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were determined in fish (Salmo trutta forma lacustris) from Lake Geneva. Brominated flame retardants were detected in all nine samples with an average concentration for the sum of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-49, BDE-66, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-119, BDE-153, BDE-154 and BDE-209 of 207 ng per g lipid weight (ng g lw(-1)). The congener patterns were dominated by BDE-47.

Protein buffering in model systems and in whole human saliva.

The aim of this study was to quantify the buffer attributes (value, power, range and optimum) of two model systems for whole human resting saliva, the purified proteins from whole human resting saliva and single proteins. Two model systems, the first containing amyloglucosidase and lysozyme, and the second containing amyloglucosidase and alpha-amylase, were shown to provide, in combination with hydrogencarbonate and di-hydrogenphosphate, almost identical buffer attributes as whole human resting saliva. It was further demonstrated that changes in the protein concentration as small as 0.