Human saliva plays a significant role in fighting destructive pathogens in the mouth and preventing tooth decay. In this regard, a key component of saliva is what is called “secreted antimicrobial peptides,” or AMPs. Research suggests that 2 specific varieties of AMPs, known as defensins and cathelicidins, have broad antimicrobial effects against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive oral bacteria. The question is whether variations in the levels of these secreted peptides among children correlate with risk for tooth decay. In Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (September 2005), a group of National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial grantees and colleagues found extensive variation in AMP levels among children. They noted that salivary levels of a peptide known as HNP1-3 may contribute to caries susceptibility, and that this peptide could be a new and useful measure of risk for caries in children.
(Source: National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research Web site, accessed October 12, 2005)
