Clinical study from Japan proves the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite in caries prophylaxis
introduction
Brushing your teeth is part of daily oral hygiene and is also often practiced at school after the lunch break in the group. In addition to other ingredients, hydroxyapatite is also increasingly used in toothpastes. So far, hydroxyapatite was only known as a bone replacement material or as a filling material for artificial tooth roots. The close resemblance of hydroxyapatite to natural tooth enamel led to the idea of using this substance in toothpastes. In addition to being able to remineralize teeth, hydroxyapatite is also known to inhibit plaque formation.
Question
What is the prevalence of caries in children who use toothpaste containing hydroxylapatite?
material and methods
This study was carried out in three Japanese schools. It was customary here to brush one's teeth together after the lunch break under the supervision of a teacher. A total of 181 children were recruited who were equally divided between both sexes. At the start of the study, all children were in fourth grade in a Japanese school. The observation period was three years. One group received a toothpaste containing hydroxyapatite, whereas the second group used the same toothpaste without hydroxyapatite as a control. At the beginning of the study, the children's dental status (DMFT [decayed missing filled teeth]) was recorded and examined twice a year in the further course of the study. Both groups were examined for statistically significant differences using a chi-square test.
Results
The DMFT index of the two groups (toothpaste with hydroxyapatite vs. toothpaste without hydroxyapatite) turned out to be significantly different after the end of the study. The DMFT index in the hydroxyapatite group was 0.29 and in the control group (toothpaste without hydroxyapatite) it was 0.96. From these data, the caries inhibition by hydroxyapatite in toothpastes was measured in comparison with the control group: this was 35.9% for the boys and 55.9% for the girls. There was also a clear difference between the two groups in the teeth that had not yet erupted at the start of the study: After three years, 1.6% (boys) and 5.0% (girls) of the children had that brushing your teeth with a toothpaste with hydroxyapatite, a tooth decay. With the kids,
Figure: Caries reduction with hydroxyapatite
conclusion
Hydroxyapatite is effective in preventing caries in the long term. Children who brush their teeth with toothpaste containing hydroxylapatite develop significantly less tooth decay than children who use conventional toothpaste.