A dental film is a protein deposit that forms on tooth enamel seconds after brushing. It protects teeth from acids but also provides a surface for bacteria to attach to, leading to plaque development. The films can be removed by abrasion, but usually reform within two hours.
A dental film is a deposit of organic film made up of proteins that forms on the surface of tooth enamel. Formed seconds after brushing the teeth, the films are created by the selective absorption of salivary elements onto the surface of the teeth. While it is a normal biological function, this formation is the first step in plaque development.
Literally considered the “skin” of the teeth, the pellicles are also known as salivary pellicles, acquired pellicles, and enamel pellicles. Although the exact composition, as well as the structure, remains unknown, scientists know that the films are made up of protein components such as lysozyme, immunoglobulin A, amylase, proline-filled proteins and salivary mucins. All tooth surfaces are covered with pellicles, all of which are subsequently colonized by bacteria.
The natural development of a pellicle is intended to protect the teeth from acids. However, it also provides a means for bacteria to attach to your teeth. Bacteria that can attach to the film include Actinomyces viscosus, Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans. Instead of attaching themselves to the minerals inside the teeth, the microbes adhere to the films. Considered the main founders of dental plaque, these bacteria interact with the components of the film, creating a climate conducive to the creation of plaque.
The films are not alive and do not respond to bacteria. This makes it likely that bacteria will attach to them as they feed, which may explain the ridges or scalloped appearance in the films. In extreme cases, the bacteria can eat away at all the films a patient has on their teeth.
Although firmly attached to the teeth, the films can be removed by abrasion. This is usually achieved if a dentist or hygienist provides a remarkably thorough polish or uses a dental bur, which is a type of drill bit for a dental drill. Regular tooth brushing does not normally cause enough abrasion to remove a film. Even after removal, the films usually simply reform within two hours.
Normally very thin, the films can occasionally be thick in places. Prone to wear, they are typically thinnest on the occlusal surfaces of the teeth where grinding and chewing occur. As a clear coating typically under plaque, a pellicle is not visible to the naked eye; however, it can still be seen. Dentists can ask their patients to use a solution composed of revealing materials to make a film visible. It can therefore be seen as a slight stain on the surface of the patient’s teeth.
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