BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR MODELING BIOFILMS INTHE ORAL CAVITY - A REVIEW

This review describes some of the biochemical and physiological factor s that should be considered in designing in vitro models of the oral c avity. The significance of the non-Newtonian properties and internal s trucutres of saliva are reported as well as the ability of saliva to f orm biological films on all types of solid surfaces. The presence of c ompositional biochemical variations between absorbed salivary films is discussed for solid surfaces having different surface chemistries. Th e significance of the presence of small amounts of organic material in enamel and dentin is also stressed. Finally, by selecting other, more easily available secretional products than saliva, more relevant mode l systems for materials testing in vitro may be established than if on ly simple aqueous salt solutions are used.