Saliva Bank Renewal 2023
Research type
Research Tissue Bank
IRAS ID
333694
Research summary
Saliva Bank
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SC/0333
Date of REC Opinion
4 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
The saliva bank will hold saliva collected from healthy volunteers who are non-smokers. Saliva produced in the mouth is present at all times (unstimulated saliva), but saliva which is produced in response to food or drink (stimulated), is slightly different from unstimulated saliva. The saliva bank will collect stimulated and non-stimulated saliva. Limited donor data will be collected from those who agree to this (gender and year of birth).
Potential donors will be staff and students working at the University of Bristol or in associated hospital buildings, and will be approached by someone trained in taking informed consent. They will be provided with an information sheet which will also be verbally explained to them, given the chance to ask questions, and if happy to donate asked to sign a consent form. All donors will be able to withdraw their consent at any time without giving a reason, this will be made clear in the information sheet and consent form. Saliva will be used on the same day as collection or if required for subsequent days can be frozen in -20 freezers held within the research laboratories within Bristol Dental School.
Research programme
Saliva will be provided for researchers using laboratory tests to investigate processes important oral conditions, such as gum disease, caries, erosion and staining. Researchers may also test products such as toothpastes and mouthrinses or examine dental materials to see if/how they benefit oral conditions. Bank saliva may also be used in the initial stages of development of diagnostic tools for other diseases. Saliva needs to be included when examining effects of lifestyle habits or oral health care products (for example), on teeth, substitute tooth materials or dental materials, to mimic conditions present in the mouth. Saliva influences tooth surface loss or gain, dental material properties and oral bacterial properties such as adhesion. Saliva provides oral bacteria with the things they need to form a biofilm similar to that formed in the mouth. In disease (oral and other), the properties of saliva can change, and it is important to have a source of saliva from healthy donors (saliva bank) which can be compared with that obtained from other banks/studies to identify changes associated with disease. Most researchers will be University staff and students, funded by research councils, charities, or working in collaboration with companies
Storage license
12200
RTBTitle
Saliva Bank
Establishment organisation
University of Bristol - Bristol Dental School
Establishment organisation address
Dorothy Hodgkin Building
Whitson Street
Bristol
BS1 3NY