Structure of Confined Salivary Films

Lubrication by saliva is a key factor in oral health and food consumption. It is know that salivary lubrication is mediated by the thin proteinaceous film i.e., the pellicle, which forms on any surface upon adsorption of saliva. However, the mechanisms behind the extraordinary lubricating performance of saliva remain unknown. While structural studies of adsorbed salivary films have given some insight into this aspect, the fact is that very little is known on the structure of confined salivary films, i.e. the really relevant system in the study of salivary lubrication. We propose to study this system by means of neutron reflectivity employing a recently developed surface force type apparatus that allows the investigation of confined thin films.