Scientists have found a surprising and eco-friendly way to protect and repair damaged teeth—by using keratin, a protein found in hair, skin, and wool.
In a breakthrough study, researchers from King’s College London discovered that keratin can form a protective enamel-like coating on teeth, stopping early decay and potentially restoring strength.
Tooth enamel—the hard, outer layer that shields our teeth—cannot regenerate once it’s lost.
As Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy, senior author and consultant in prosthodontics at King’s, explained, “Unlike bones and hair, enamel does not regenerate.
Once it is lost, it’s gone forever.” Everyday factors like acidic foods and drinks, poor oral hygiene, and aging all wear away enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity, pain, and eventually tooth loss.
Currently, fluoride toothpaste helps slow down this damage, but the new keratin-based approach could stop it completely.
When applied to teeth, keratin forms a dense mineral layer that mimics natural enamel. This not only protects the tooth from further erosion but also seals exposed nerve channels that cause sensitivity, offering both structural repair and pain relief.
The researchers say the treatment could be delivered as a daily-use toothpaste or as a professional gel applied in dental clinics, similar to nail varnish, for targeted repair. They believe keratin-based enamel regeneration products could be available to the public within two to three years.
In their study, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, the scientists extracted keratin from wool, although it could also be sourced from hair or skin.
When keratin was applied to the tooth surface and came into contact with minerals naturally present in saliva, it formed a crystal-like scaffold closely resembling natural enamel.
Over time, this scaffold attracted calcium and phosphate ions—essential building blocks for enamel—resulting in the growth of a protective coating that blended seamlessly with the original tooth.
Lead researcher and PhD candidate Sara Gamea described the approach as “a transformative alternative to current dental treatments.”
She noted that keratin can be sustainably sourced from biological waste materials like hair and skin, avoiding the need for traditional dental resins made from plastics, which are less durable, potentially toxic, and often look unnatural. In contrast, keratin coatings can match the natural color of teeth much more closely.
The discovery comes at a time when there is increasing interest in sustainable healthcare materials and growing concerns over the long-term effects of fluoride. This technology also fits within the wider push for circular, waste-to-health innovations—turning discarded materials into valuable medical resources.
Dr. Elsharkawy believes this marks a new chapter in dentistry: “We are entering an exciting era where biotechnology allows us not just to treat symptoms, but to restore biological function using the body’s own materials.
With further development and the right industry partnerships, we may soon be growing stronger, healthier smiles from something as simple as a haircut.”
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Source: King’s College London.
