An investigation of oily formulations for the management of xerostomia

TL;DRAbstract

The physicochemical properties of natural saliva are responsible for many of its functions, yet an understanding about how the physicochemical properties of a saliva substitute influence clinical efficacy is limited. The aim of this thesis was to investigate oily formulations as potential saliva substitutes for individuals with xerostomia. Physicochemical properties of different compositions were investigated with an emphasis on rheology, as viscoelasticity was hypothesised to be important in developing a retentive saliva substitute that could lubricate the dynamic environment of the oral cavity. Further, a pilot study was conducted on healthy participants to determine the taste acceptability and retention of a selected oily formulation.\n\nAn initial investigation into the rheological properties of natural saliva confirmed that unstimulated saliva was shear thinning whereas stimulated saliva was a Newtonian fluid. In addition, natural whole saliva had a tan δ that was greater than one

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