Saliva Analysis for Fluoride, Potassium, Calcium, Zinc and Plaque Bioanalysis

Fluoride, calcium, zinc and potassium are common dental additives in toothpastes, foams and rinses. The analysis of these agents in saliva or plaque helps us understand the delivery of these from toothpastes and mouthwashes and their subsequent clearance from the oral cavity, which is useful information to steer formulation innovation during product development. 

Dentifrice products such as toothpastes are formulated with a variety of therapeutic agents designed to provide the consumer with clinical benefits. Fluoride and calcium, for example are for the repair and protection of tooth enamel, zinc as an anti-plaque, anti-calculus and anti-malodour agent and potassium to combat dentine sensitivity.

Advanced oral care formulations need to provide controlled and extended release of ingredients vital for dental health and so it is important to understand how these agents are released from products when they are used, how they disperse in the mouth, where they are delivered to and how long they persist in the mouth. 

During clinical studies focused on the delivery and clearance of these active ingredients, the determination of fluoride, potassium, calcium or zinc in plaque or saliva are collected from volunteers and samples of plaque or saliva can be analysed by our team of laboratory analysts for the particular ions of interest. Our bioanalysis team commonly use ion-selective electrodes for analysis of saliva samples. Plaque samples can be analysed using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy with optical emission spectroscopy detection (ICP-OES) in our GCP/GLP laboratory. All data is quality checked before submission of a detailed report incorporating full statistical analysis, graphs and tables.

The Intertek Advantage

Our clinical research team has a dedicated in vitro laboratory for testing of all aspects of oral care products. We are adept in designing bespoke in vitro models to cater for your specific requirements. Intertek Clinical Research Services is licensed to handle and store human tissue under the Human Tissue Act 2004 and follows the principles outlined within the act as well as complying with local ethical guidelines. 

For over 20 years our Clinical Research Services group has been a trusted partner for developers and manufacturers of oral care products. Intertek's Total Quality Assurance expertise provide a one-source solution for in vitro testing providing robust data to support the efficacy and safety of novel treatments.