Remineralizing agents: effects on acid-softened enamel.

This study sought to evaluate whether remineralizing toothpastes can protect acid-softened enamel against further erosive episodes. Fifty enamel slabs of bovine teeth with preformed erosion-like lesions were randomly assigned to 1 control and 4 experimental groups (n = 10): group 1, nanohydroxyapatite (nanoHAp) dentifrice; group 2, arginine and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dentifrice; group 3, potassium nitrate (KNO3) and high-fluoride (F) availability dentifrice; group 4, ordinary fluoridated dentifrice (OFD); and group 5, control (deionized water). Initial hardness measurements were taken after the different treatments were applied. Statistically significant mineral gains of 8.0% and 10.0% were exhibited in groups 1 and 4, respectively. Groups 2 and 3 showed mineral gains of 4.5% and 2.1%, respectively; these were not statistically significant. Group 5 showed mineral loss (-11.8%). A 1-way analysis of variance showed no statistically significant differences in the mean microhardness values among groups. However, there are indications that the nanoHAp and OFD toothpastes may decrease erosive lesions after treatment, while the arginine + CaCO3 and KNO3 + F pastes may prevent the progression of erosive lesions.

Potential agents to control enamel caries-like lesions.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether pastes containing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSP) control artificial caries lesion progression. METHODS: Enamel slabs of bovine teeth were embedded in polyester resin and had their enamel surfaces serially polished, and tested for surface microhardness (SMH, 25 g, 5 s). Incipient caries-like lesions were pre-formed and specimens were evaluated by microhardness test (SMH(post-lesion)) and randomly assigned to five treatment groups (n=15): (1) regular dentifrice (RE, 1,100 ppm F); (2) dentifrice with calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSP); (3) amorphous calcium phosphate stabilized by casein phosphopeptide (CPP-ACP); (4) CPP-ACP with 900 ppm F (CPP-ACP+F) and (5) control group-unexposed to any remineralizing agent. Treatments were applied five times, after the de-remineralization period in the cariogenic challenges. Post-treatments SMH measurements were conducted (SMH(post-treatment)). RESULTS: ANOVA was applied for data evaluation and revealed a significant difference among the treatments (p=0.0161). Tukey's test was conducted and the percentage of mineral loss was calculated. Specimens exposed to CSP (7.1%), RE (6.7%) and CPP-ACP+F (3.8%) showed lower mineral loss than those that in the control group (-11.0%). CPP-ACP group (3.2%) differed from the control, CSP and RE groups. CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the agent used, a remineralizing effect may be expected, which reflects in caries lesions progression.