Q. What is the LP3 salivary enzyme-protein system?
A. Each biotène product contains beneficial bio-active enzymes and a protein found naturally in saliva. These are: lactoperoxidase, lysozyme and lactoferrin (protein). Within saliva these enzymes and protein are believed to supplement the mouth’s natural defenses:
- Lactoperoxidase are enzymes believed to work by boosting the production of hypothiocyanite, a antimicrobial agent, which interferes with the enzyme activity within bacteria.
- Lysozyme: a natural antimicrobial enzyme. It works in 3 key ways;
- interferes with the links between the building blocks of bacteria’s cell walls. This weakens the cell wall, making it burst (lyse)
- it can make some bacteria stick together, which makes them unable to stick to the soft tissues of the mouth and teeth where they cause damage
- it can trigger the production of new enzymes that destroy the bacterial cells.
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Lactoferrin: is a protein that is able to bind to iron, which is needed by bacteria to transport the
nutrients they need for survival across their bacterial cell walls. Lactoferrin chelates (binds) to this
iron, reducing the amount available for bacteria to utilize. Lactoferrin also sticks to bacterial cell
walls, upsetting the normal bacterial processes.
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