Nano Particles Could Make Teeth Cavity-Proof

Most people hate visiting the dentist.  Ever since you were a child, you were told “an apple a day keeps the dentist away.”  But what if science could guarantee you a sure way to “keep the dentist away” for good?  A professor and graduate student at Clarkson University may have found a way that could very well mean the end of cavities for good.

Advanced Materials Processing Professor Igor Sokolov and his graduate student Ravi M. Gaikwad discovered recently that polishing a human tooth with nano-sized particles could prevent the adhesion of the “bad” bacteria associated with tooth decay and other dental diseases.

However, the polishing of the teeth does reduce bacteria’s ability to adhere to the surface, it still requires regular maintenance for healthy teeth.  Although the amount of effort and time required for removing the remaining bacteria would significantly be reduced. 

Silica has been used in the polishing of teeth before as evidence in their inclusion in gel types of commercial toothpaste.  However, this is the first time nano-silica particles have been tested on human teeth.  If this technology does become commercially viable, it could be a great leap forward in the prevention of tooth decay and a large reduction in dentist visits.

Sokolov and Gaikwad published their findings in the October issue of the Journal of Dental Research.