As the mouth provides a window into an individual’s general health status, strategies to prevent dental problems have evolved over the years.
Research suggests that dental caries might be triggered by three main factors: the host defence mechanism, the oral environment and bacteria. Dental plaque is often seen as the precursor to tooth decay, contributing to the oral cavity’s overall dynamic environment that frequently undergoes rapid changes in pH, nutrient availability and oxygen tension. Under suitable conditions, periodontal pathogens colonise the subgingival environment, incorporating into a tenacious biofilm, impacting both caries and periodontal disease. The plaque bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) demineralise the tooth surface by producing acid through the metabolisation of carbohydrates and therefore attack the minerals in the enamel, the cementum and the dentin. This is also often connected to gum problems and tooth sensitivity.
The late eminent American periodontist, Prof Perry Ratcliff maintained that the causes of periodontal disease are a combination of many processes, including activation of the immune system, alterations in connective gingival tissue metabolism, production of proteinases and cytokines and the destruction of host tissue by bacterial enzymes along with a multitude of other factors. He claimed that extremely low concentrations of volatile sulphur compounds are also highly toxic to the tissues in the mouth.
The challenge is to eliminate or control VSC and bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease in a way that does not introduce substances or cause bacteria to build an immune resistance. With its ability to achieve optimal oral health the antimicrobial Stabilised Chlorine Dioxide has proven to be extremely effective at this, as it works closely with the natural oral pH. It acts as an oxidising agent to destroy amino acids to prevent their use as building blocks for protein (effectively controlling biofilms and neutralising the production of acid in the mouth). Stabilised Chlorine Dioxide is very gentle on the delicate tissues of the mouth and decreases the ability of all negative micro-organisms/bacteria in the oral cavity to multiply.
The tooth enamel is formed from hydroxyapatite and its fluorinated derivative fluorapatite. Hydroxyapatite can effectively improve the mechanism of regenerating tooth enamel and tangibly reduces the sensitivity of teeth by blocking dental tubules. It supports a naturally occurring function, the restorative role of saliva in the mouth, which is the first line of defence against caries. It does it by neutralising acids caused by plaque bacteria and by providing calcium and phosphate ion building blocks, which diffuse back into the enamel to restore lost minerals. Hydroxyapatite acts as a filler, repairing minute pits and fissures in the enamel surface, resulting in smoother, glossier enamel), with fewer sites likely to harbour plaque and stains. It also remineralises subsurface demineralised areas of the enamel and restores mineral density and translucency to enhance the whiteness of the teeth. Hydroxyapatite not only protects against decay by helping remove plaque, restoring smoothness and mineral density to both surface and subsurface enamel, but it also restores translucency and gloss, contributing to both the health and natural beauty of the teeth.
With favourable behaviour towards prevention and remineralisation, oral hygiene products containing Hydroxyapatite, Stabilised Chlorine Dioxide and Fluoride, such as the UltraDEX Recalcifying & Whitening toothpaste, could be of value to a wide spectrum of clinical oral hygiene concerns, when used as part of an oral healthcare regime.
References available on request.