Tooth decay and sensitivity is thought to affect over 13 million people in the UK alone. A new toothpaste that may be able to halt tooth decay by repairing your teeth as you sleep, has been developed by scientists at the University of London. The toothpaste contains a product, BioMinF, which effectively reverses the damage that acidic drinks and other food and drink do to teeth. The BioMinF binds to the teeth, filling any holes and slowly releases a combination of calcium, fluoride and phosphate.
Researchers led by Professor Robert Hill, Chairman of Dental Physical Sciences at Queen Mary, University of London, are hoping that the miracle ingredient, known as bioactive glass, will be used in the future to make varnishes to protect children’s teeth. They also hope that the technology could bring an end to the use of the dentist’s drill. By using jets to sandblast the teeth with tiny particles of the active ingredient, decay could be removed and the gaps could be sealed. The teeth could also be repaired with fillings made from the material.
Over 14,000 British children aged 5 and under were admitted to hospital for tooth extraction in 2014/15. The slow release of the active ingredients in the new toothpaste is thought to be particularly good for children who maybe don’t brush their teeth as often or as carefully as they should or who drink sugary drinks or fruit juices. In conventional toothpastes the active ingredients wash away after a couple of hours but this new technology helps these beneficial ingredients bind to the teeth for a longer period of time.
Professor Hill said; ” This breakthrough innovation could significantly reduce dental decay and also tooth sensitivity problems which are often experienced by people eating and drinking something cold.”
He went on to say that the key ingredient could be used in other dental treatment and products such as cleaning and polishing pastes, varnishes and re-mineralising filling materials.
BioMin Technologies are manufacturing the toothpaste in Stoke on Trent and it is hoped to market it at around £4.99 for a 75ml tube. Richard Whatley, chief executive of BioMin Technologies, says the team are in the process of establishing licensing agreements with toothpaste and dental material manufacturers around the world. They are hoping to launch the product through their own website and are also developing a fluoride free version for people who do not want or need fluoride toothpaste.
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