Green Tea Extract Protects Sensitive Teeth

Scientists in China have discovered a way to relieve tooth sensitivity and prevent tooth decay by using a material that contains green tea extract.

AsianScientist (Aug. 11, 2017) – Using a material containing green tea extract, scientists in China are able to prevent cavities and reduce tooth sensitivity. They published their findings in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

An ice cold drink is refreshing in the summer, but for people with sensitive teeth, it can cause a painful jolt in the mouth. Tooth sensitivity arises when the protective layers of teeth are worn away, revealing a bony tissue called dentin. This tissue contains microscopic hollow tubes that, when exposed, allow hot and cold liquids and food to contact the underlying nerve endings in the teeth, causing pain.

Unprotected dentin is also vulnerable to cavity formation. Plugging these tubes with a mineral called nanohydroxyapatite is a long-standing approach to treating sensitivity. But the material doesn’t stand up well to regular brushing, grinding, erosion or acid produced by cavity-causing bacteria. Professor Huang Cui and colleagues from Wuhan University thus sought to tackle sensitivity and beat the bacteria at the same time.

The researchers encapsulated nanohydroxyapatite and a green tea polyphenol—epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG—in silica nanoparticles, which can withstand acid and wear and tear. EGCG has been shown in previous studies to fight Streptococcus mutans, which form biofilms that cause cavities.

Testing this material on extracted wisdom teeth, they showed that the material plugged the dentin tubules, released EGCG for at least 96 hours, stood up to tooth erosion and brushing and prevented biofilm formation. It also showed low toxicity. Based on these findings, the researchers say the material could indeed be a good candidate for combating tooth sensitivity and cavities.


The article can be found at: Yu et al. (2017) Development of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-Encapsulated Nanohydroxyapatite/Mesoporous Silica for Therapeutic Management of Dentin Surface.

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Source: American Chemical Society; Photo: Pixabay.
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