We all know the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day to keep them clean and healthy. The toothpaste we use plays a significant role in this, and most of them contain fluoride.
But did you know that too much fluoride can lead to health issues, especially in kids who tend to swallow their toothpaste?
To solve this problem, an international group of scientists and Polish doctors have found a new toothpaste ingredient – hydroxyapatite. It works just as well as fluoride toothpaste to protect against cavities.
“Hydroxyapatite is a safe and effective alternative to fluoride for daily use,” said Professor Elzbieta Paszynska from the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, who led the study. The results of this research were published in Frontiers in Public Health.
Why is Hydroxyapatite Special?
Hydroxyapatite is a mineral found in our bones. It is safe for us to consume and has been shown to help with oral health problems like gum disease. Hydroxyapatite can prevent tooth decay and repair damaged tooth surfaces.
“Right now, the goal in dental care is to use ‘minimally invasive dentistry’ as much as possible,” explained Paszynska.
This means trying to save as much of the natural tooth as possible. Using ingredients that can repair teeth can limit the need for drilling into teeth to treat cavities.
The Big Test: An 18-Month Trial
To test the new toothpaste, the scientists conducted an 18-month trial with 189 adults aged between 18 and 45. The participants were split into two groups.
One group used the hydroxyapatite toothpaste, while the other used fluoride toothpaste.
All participants had at least 10 teeth without cavities, were happy to use an electric toothbrush, and did not have any other dental issues.
They were given electric toothbrushes and toothpaste, but they did not know what type of toothpaste they were using.
The participants were asked to brush their teeth twice a day for three minutes each time but were not asked to change their diets.
“We wanted to test the two different toothpastes, not the effect of diet on tooth decay,” said Paszynska.
The Results Are In: Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste is Effective
During the trial, the participants visited the doctors every six months. The doctors checked their teeth visually and used a device called a DIAGNOcam to look for early signs of cavities.
They also used a plaque disclosing solution to see how clean the participants’ teeth were.
At the end of the trial, almost 90% of participants in both groups did not have any new cavities. The hydroxyapatite toothpaste worked just as well as the fluoride toothpaste.
“Our trial has shown that hydroxyapatite prevents dental cavities in adults. This is important from a public health perspective,” said Paszynska.
If you care about dental health, please read studies about best food for tooth and gum health, and how to prevent and reverse gum disease.
For more information about dental health, please see recent studies about diabetes and gum disease, and results showing this diet could help treat gum disease.
The study was published in Frontiers in Public Health.
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