Nano Hydroxyapatite
Discovered by NASA and dubbed the "magic bullet" for your teeth (by me, the cavity crusher)
Maybe you've seen it mentioned, or maybe it's the first time you're hearing about it.
The mouth is a busy place, there's a lot of action in there.
We are always in a state of REmineralizing or DEmineralizing our teeth.
If you couldn't put it together, we want to maximize remineralization (adding minerals) to avoid permanent damage and cavities.
Before we talk about how to use products to aid in remineralizing teeth, we must understand what a tooth is made of
A tooth has an outer hard shell of enamel made up of calcium rods in the form of hydroxyapatite.
The inner shell (dentin) is softer due to more water and collagen
Our diet, habits and microbiome dictate how acidic or basic the environment is.
The more acidic, the more hydroxyapatite we lose and the weaker the tooth becomes.
Let this progress for long enough and you find yourself with a big treatment plan from your dentist $$$
Nanohydroxyapatite was discovered by NASA because astronauts in space were losing minerals in their teeth and bones due to lack of gravity.
In the late 70's, a Japanese dental company took interest in it and bought the rights from NASA to make a toothpaste.
Nano HA is synthetically made, and controversial to some (The EU is in the process of fully banning all nanoparticles).
Hydroxyapatite is found in teeth, so that means nano-hydrodyapatite is an equivalent and penetrable material. It's a tiny and free source of calcium.
You may remember me saying that nanohydroxyapatite is great for use after whitening your teeth to prevent and resolve sensitivity.
It wouldn't be a nanohydroxyapatite thread without mentioning fluoride.
This study shows that 10% NHA is just as effective as 500ppm fluoride toothpaste, yet has none of the controversy (unless you're the EU).
nature.com/articles/s4140…
Over the last 50 years, the research shows again and again that hydroxyapatite is a biomimetic and nontoxic material with a wide range of use for your teeth aiding in:
Remineralization of enamel
Eliminating sensitive teeth
Bind to bone for augmentation
Superior cement for crowns
Many dentists and brands are starting to ride the nanohydroxyapatite wave.
Expect to see more and more products touting it as revolutionary.
Then you can tell your crazy aunt at thanksgiving "I know all about that, an anonymous cartoon gator dentist told me"
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.