Abstract
Demineralization of dental hard tissues is a well-known health issue and the primary mechanism responsible for caries and dentinal hypersensitivity. Remineralizing toothpastes are nowadays available to improve conventional oral care formulations regarding the prevention and repair of demineralization. In this paper, we analyzed the chemical-physical features of a commercial toothpaste (Biosmalto Caries Abrasion and Erosion, Curasept S.p.A., Saronno, Italy), with particular attention paid to the water-insoluble fraction which contains the remineralizing bioactive ingredients. Moreover, the efficacy of the toothpaste to induce enamel remineralization and to occlude dentinal tubules has been qualitatively and semiquantitatively tested in vitro on human dental tissues using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis. Our results demonstrated that the water-insoluble fraction contained silica as well as chitosan and poorly crystalline biomimetic hydroxyapatite doped with carbonate, magnesium, strontium, and fluoride ions. The formulation showed excellent ability to restore demineralized enamel into its native structure by epitaxial deposition of a new crystalline phase in continuity with the native one. It was also able to occlude the dentinal tubules exposed completely by acid-etching. Overall, this study demonstrated that the tested toothpaste contained a biomimetic ionic-substituted hydroxyapatite-based active principle and that, within the in vitro conditions analyzed in this study, it was effective in dental hard tissue remineralization.
Highlights
Demineralization of dental tissues is an issue affecting an increasingly large percentage of the population worldwide, and the main mechanism involved in the development of dental caries and dentin hypersensitivity [1]
This work aimed to perform a chemical-physical characterization of a novel commercially available toothpaste (Biosmalto Caries Abrasion and Erosion of Curasept S.p.A, Saronno, Italy), with particular attention paid to the water-insoluble fraction which, according to the manufacturer, contains all the remineralizing bioactive ingredients described above, such as ion-doped hydroxyapatite (Sr-Mg-CO3 -HA) and HA partially substituted with fluoride ions (FHA) embedded in a chitosan matrix
Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FTIR-ATR, and chemical characterizations have evinced that the inorganic water-insoluble fraction of the toothpaste bearing the bioactive compounds was composed of amorphous silica and poorly crystalline biomimetic HA doped with CO3 2−, F−, Mg2+, and Sr2+
Summary
Demineralization of dental tissues is an issue affecting an increasingly large percentage of the population worldwide, and the main mechanism involved in the development of dental caries and dentin hypersensitivity [1]. Demineralization is caused by low pH values reached by the oral microenvironment. It is the outcome of very complex interactions that take place between hard tissues, the microbial biofilm that consistently colonizes these surfaces and the intake of nutrients, other situations such as the consumption of acidic food or drinks (i.e., fruits, coffee, tea, soft drinks, sports drinks, and fruit juices), and the presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease [2]. Demineralization is a reversible process if the damaged tissues are exposed to an oral environment that favors remineralization [6]. The calcium and phosphate ions naturally present in the saliva counteract demineralization, as they favor epitaxial growth starting from residual HA prisms [6]
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