Acquired Pellicle Formation — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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ModeratePhysiologyAcquired Pellicle FormationMFDS Part 1

After professional cleaning, a clean enamel surface is exposed to whole saliva. Which process initiates formation of the acquired enamel pellicle?

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Correct answer: E — Selective adsorption of salivary proteins and glycoproteins onto hydroxyapatite

The correct answer is E. The acquired enamel pellicle begins forming within seconds of saliva contacting clean enamel through selective adsorption of salivary macromolecules, particularly proteins, glycoproteins and phosphoproteins, onto hydroxyapatite. It is initially an acellular film. Pioneer bacteria subsequently adhere to receptors within the pellicle, so bacterial co-aggregation represents early dental biofilm formation rather than pellicle initiation. Dietary polysaccharides and food debris are not the primary pellicle source. Although some non-salivary proteins may later be detected, plasma proteins do not form the pellicle by diffusing through intact enamel. Calcium fluoride-like deposits may form after topical fluoride exposure but are inorganic surface reservoirs, not acquired pellicle.

Reference: Chawhuaveang DD et al. Acquired salivary pellicle and oral diseases: A literature review. Journal of Dental Sciences. 2021;16(1):523-529. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33384841/