LUCKNOW: King George’s Medical University (KGMU) has got the patent from the government of India for an artificial saliva reservoir developed by one of its faculty members.
Known as ‘pilot saliva reservoir’, the 1x1.5-inch device stores artificial saliva for a long time to help oral cancer patients who have lost the ability to produce saliva.
Several static saliva reservoirs made of plastic are already available in the market. These, however, can store artificial saliva that lasts about 12-15 minutes. The device is used to help patients whose salivary glands are damaged during cancer treatment.
Saliva glands are either removed or get damaged during radiotherapy or chemotherapy. As a result, a patient is unable to produce saliva or its production is limited. This affects a patient’s ability to consume and digest food. Besides, the mouth remains constantly dry leading to mouth ulcer.
“The pilot saliva reservoir is a chip that can be fixed in the upper or lower teeth gaze in the mouth. The size can be customised as per patient’s requirement,” said Dr Lakshya Kumar, professor in prosthodontics department, who developed the device.
“The chip is filled with artificial saliva and when pressed with tongue or cheek, it releases drops of artificial saliva through tiny holes measuring 0.8 mm, thereby helping patient in keeping their mouth moist and in eating and ingestion,” he said.
Dr Kumar added that static saliva reservoirs made of soft plastic currently available in the market could maintain saliva flow for only 12-15 minutes because they have no mechanism to regulate flow of artificial saliva as desired by the patient.