If you’re like most people, you’ve had your share of cavities.
Some people seem more prone to them, while others, like me, eat well and brush and floss, but still have a collection of teeth that have fillings.
Well, I’ve recently read about an astounding discovery that could reverse the deterioration of tooth enamel that leaves our teeth open to decay.
There aren’t many bodily processes that are truly reversible, so this is pretty amazing.
And what’s more, this discovery could be translated into products that will help prevent tooth decay — within just a few years!
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Keratin could save tooth enamel
Researchers from King’s College London say keratin, a protein found in hair, skin and wool, can repair tooth enamel and stop the early stages of decay.
Unlike hair or bones, tooth enamel does not regenerate.
“Once it’s lost, it’s gone forever,” notes Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy, senior author of the study.
Right now, the best we can do to protect our tooth enamel is to use fluoride toothpaste that may slow the loss of enamel.
But Dr. Elsharkawy and his colleagues had a different idea…
They extracted keratin from wool fibers and mixed the keratin with water, where it formed a thin film.
They applied this film to a tooth sample, and when it came in contact with the minerals in saliva, it formed a strong, crystal-like coating similar in structure to natural tooth enamel.
What’s more, the longer it remained there, the more it attracted calcium and phosphate ions, forming a hard, protective layer over the tooth.
“Keratin offers a transformative alternative to current dental treatments,” says first author Dr. Sara Gamea.
“Not only is it sustainably sourced from biological waste materials like hair and skin, it also eliminates the need for traditional plastic resins, commonly used in restorative dentistry, which are toxic and less durable.
“Keratin also looks much more natural than these treatments, as it can more closely match the color of the original tooth.”
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Protect your smile for years to come
Keratin toothpastes for daily use or professional coatings applied at a dentist’s office could be available within the next few years.
But until then, there are plenty of things you can do to protect your tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay.
Avoid eating and drinking acidic foods and drinks between meals. Even “healthy” drinks like fruit tea with lemon is a “double whammy” – the acid and the heat are both destructive to tooth enamel.
Additionally, some fermented foods can also cause harm, such as kombucha or the hot apple cider vinegar you take for a cold.
But there’s a way around that…
Avoid sipping, swishing, holding, or rinsing drinks in your mouth before swallowing to decrease the amount of time those acids are touching your teeth. Wine tasters who swish acidic wines around in their mouths before swallowing, for example, have a high risk of enamel erosion.
Drink acidic drinks cold. Again, heat and acid are a bad combination. If you can drink your fruit tea iced, you’ll protect your enamel. Or try using a straw to keep it from touching your teeth.
Choose green tea. Studies show that green tea can actually protect you from losing tooth enamel — even if you are a fan of sugary drinks!
Sources:
Keratin extracted from sheep’s wool repairs teeth in breakthrough — Live Science
Biomimetic Mineralization of Keratin Scaffolds for Enamel Regeneration — Advanced Healthcare Materials
Toothpaste made from hair provides natural root to repair teeth — Eureka Alert
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