The development of an adhesive similar to the one mussels use to attach to rocks could lead to a breakthrough in the treatment of tooth sensitivity, according to research published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
The research is based on the concept of remineralizing both dentin and enamel, and the adhesive material is designed to help minerals stay in contact with the dentin for long enough for remineralization to occur.
Lab tests used human teeth with worn enamel and dentin that were bathed in a liquid containing both the mussel-inspired adhesive material and minerals. Those teeth reformed both dentin and enamel while a control group of teeth which were soaked in just the minerals reformed just the enamel layer.
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Nature-inspired advance for treating sensitive teeth
Taking inspiration from Mother Nature, scientists are reporting an advance toward preventing the tooth sensitivity that affects millions of people around the world. Their report on development of the substance, similar to the adhesive that mussels use to attach to rocks and other surfaces in water, appears in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Quan-Li Li, Chun Hung Chu and colleagues explain that about 3 out of every 4 people have teeth that are sensitive to hot, cold, sweet or sour foods and drinks. It occurs when the hard outer enamel layer on teeth and the softer underlying dentin wear away, stimulating the nerves inside. Some sugar-free gums and special toothpastes can help reduce that tooth hyper-sensitivity. However, Li and Chu cite the need for substances that rebuild both enamel and dentin at the same time. To meet that challenge, they turned to a sticky material similar to the adhesive that mussels use to adhere to surfaces. They reasoned that it could help keep minerals in contact with dentin long enough for the rebuilding process to occur.
They describe laboratory tests that involved bathing human teeth with worn-away enamel and dentin in liquid containing the sticky material and minerals. Teeth bathed in the sticky material and minerals reformed dentin and enamel. However, teeth bathed just in minerals reformed only enamel. The gooey substance “may be a simple universal technique to induce enamel and dentin remineralization simultaneously,” they concluded.
The authors acknowledge funding from NSFC RGC grant, the Outstanding Youth Fund from the Board of Education of Anhui Province and the Youth Foundation of the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation.
Source: American Chemical Society