The advent of three-dimensional (3D) Bioprinting increased the need for a suitable bioink in which Cells can live, proliferate and generate specific tissue and organ. Therefore, bioinks must have several physical and chemical characteristics that depend on the bioprinting modality and the target tissue. Alginate is considered a promising biomaterial for bioprinting due to its distinct physicochemical properties and diverse biological functions. However, some characteristics, such as cell adherence and biodegradability, are lacking, which can compensate when combined with other biomaterials, for example, gelatin, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMa), cellulose, silk fibroin, and hyaluronic acid. The alginate–gelatin blend receives considerable attention since gelatin has Arginine, Glycine, and Aspartate, the tripeptide Arg–Gly–Asp (RGD) sequence that could sustain cell attachment. Some parameters assist the optimization of bioink features like temperature, biomaterials' concentration, and crosslinking time. For instance, the viscosity of alginate increases by enhancing its concentration, and while it exhibits shear thinning property, it will be printed correctly. This review interprets the alginate-based bioink, focusing on its composite with other natural biomaterials, especially gelatin. Also, it discusses the parameters that affect bioink functionality and cell viability.

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition in which insufficient or ineffective saliva does not provide sufficient oral lubrication. The severity of this condition can vary from a mild discomfort to a debilitating condition that greatly impairs patients’ lives. Xerostomia arises as a side effect of various medications, diseases, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or nerve damage. Various aqueous dispersions of macromolecules have been proposed to assist or replace the saliva in these patients. It is vital that these macromolecules have ample lubricity and water retention properties while showing long-lasting efficacy. The emphasis of this review is to provide a general overview on lubricating macromolecules that have been clinically used or reported in the literature as potential replacements for saliva. These include various natural or synthetic polymers, proteins, peptides, and lipids that are used in the form of solutions, gels, emulsions, and colloids. Perspectives into the future of macromolecular oral lubricants in the treatment of xerostomia are also provided.