Erosion-inhibiting potential of a novel remineralising paste

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of erosive tooth wear among children and young adults is an issue of growing concern, emphasising the need for improvement in the currently used preventive strategies. Our aim was to evaluate individual and synergistic effects of SnF2 and CPP-ACP pastes in inhibiting erosion at a nano-scale. Forty flat, polished enamel specimens were subjected to 10 erosion cycles, with each cycle comprising one-min erosion in citric acid (pH 3.0) and one-min exposure to human saliva. In each of the 3 experimental groups (n = 10 per group), a remineralising paste (10% CPP-ACP or 0.45% SnF2 (1,100 ppm F) or SnF2/CPP-ACP (combined 10% CPP-ACP and 0.45% SnF2)) was applied as a slurry in saliva between erosion cycles. No remineralising agent was used in control specimens (n = 10). Erosion was assessed by calculating erosion depth using a novel photolithographic technique combined with high-resolution 3D laser scanning microscopy from baseline to 1 min, 5 min and 10 min. A significant increase in erosion depth was detected in the control group as early as 1 min (69.4 nm) (P < 0.001), with the erosion depths being smaller for all three remineralising agents after 1 min (P ≤ 0.004). The overall trend of erosion depth reduction was SnF2/CPP-ACP > SnF2 > CPP-ACP > control. Application of SnF2-enriched CPP-ACP agent reduces dental erosion more than either SnF2 or CPP-ACP alone, offering a potentially more-effective preventive strategy to manage this condition.