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A multi-institution international double-blind randomized trial on 171 participants lead by PUMS Prof. Elzbieta Paszynska has confirmed that a mineral called hydroxyapatite is as effective as a toothpaste ingredient in preventing development of cavities as fluoride.

Fluoride is currently the most popular addition to toothpaste as an agent preventing development of cavities, but it is known to pose heath problems in some limited cases, especially in children. In search for a viable alternatives the scientists have turned to hydroxyapatite, which is already known to help people who have trouble with dental sensitivity and periodontitis, but its effectiveness has not been verified for healthy teeth.

Hydroxyapatite is a calcium phosphate mineral found in the skeleton. It’s known to be very safe for human consumption. It can both inhibit the demineralization of teeth, a key step towards a cavity, and contribute to remineralization, which reinforced damaged tooth surfaces.

The study has shown that hydroxyapatite is a safe and effective alternative to fluoride in caries prevention for daily use - there was no statistical difference in efficacy between the patients using a hydroxyapatite toothpaste and the control group using a fluoride toothpaste: both worked equally well.

The research paper has been published in Frontiers in Public Health and is available at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1199728/full. The research team also included scientists from Medical University of Bialystok, Dr. Kurt Wolff GmbH & Co., Society for Biometrics and Psychometrics in Bielefeld, University of Texas Health San Antonio, and University of Toronto.