A Korean research team, which had previously visualized and scientifically proven the harmful effects of carbonated drinks like cola on dental health using nanotechnology, has now identified a mechanism for an effective method to prevent tooth damage caused by these beverages.
A team led by Professor Seungbum Hong from KAIST’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, in collaboration with Seoul National University’s School of Dentistry (Departments of Pediatric Dentistry and Oral Microbiology) and Professor Hye Ryung Byon’s research team from the Department of Chemistry, has revealed through nanotechnology that silver diamine fluoride (SDF) forms a fluoride-containing protective layer on the tooth surface, effectively inhibiting cola-induced erosion.
The work is published in the journal Biomaterials Research.
The team analyzed the surface morphology and mechanical properties of tooth enamel on a nanoscale using atomic force microscopy (AFM). They also examined the chemical properties of the nano-film formed by SDF treatment using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
The findings showed significant differences in surface roughness and elastic modulus between teeth exposed to cola with and without SDF treatment. Teeth treated with SDF exhibited minimal changes in surface roughness due to erosion (from 64 nm to 70 nm) and maintained a high elastic modulus (from 215 GPa to 205 GPa).
This was attributed to the formation of a fluorapatite layer by SDF, which acted as a protective shield.
Professor Young J. Kim from Seoul National University’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry noted, “This technology could be applied to prevent dental erosion and strengthen teeth for both children and adults. It is a cost-effective and accessible dental treatment.”
Professor Hong emphasized, “Dental health significantly impacts quality of life. This research offers an effective non-invasive method to prevent early dental erosion, moving beyond traditional surgical treatments. By simply applying SDF, dental erosion can be prevented and enamel strengthened, potentially reducing pain and costs associated with treatment.”
More information:
Aditi Saha et al, Nanoscale Study on Noninvasive Prevention of Dental Erosion of Enamel by Silver Diamine Fluoride, Biomaterials Research (2024). DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0103
Citation:
Nanoscale analysis uncovers method to prevent dental erosion from carbonated drinks (2024, December 11)
retrieved 12 December 2024
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