Achieving maximum protection against tooth decay with new technologies

SEVERAL studies have reported rising cases of tooth decay or rather tooth cavities in the country due to high intake of sugary foods and poor dental care. 

      Cavities are formed when plaque bacteria persistently remain in hard to reach places on our teeth between brushings. These bacteria convert the sugar and carbohydrates in the foods and the beverages into acids. These acids dissolve minerals from the sub-surface layer of the tooth, damaging the enamel, which, without proper care, can lead to cavities. 

    It is estimated that five billion people – or nearly 80 per cent of the world’s population – still suffer from tooth decay. Worldwide, 60 to 90 per cent of school children and nearly 100 per cent of adults have dental cavities. 

     Dentists say dental decay is the most common chronic disease on the planet – yet it is preventable. They say Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is on the rise amongst very young children and are becoming an epidemic. 

     According to the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), caries compromises not only one’s oral health, but one’s overall health, development and quality of life, both in the short run and in the long term. They say caries also makes one more vulnerable to various infections in other parts of the body, such as ears, sinuses and the brain.

     Published problems caused by poor dental health include: death from infection and increased risk of other serious medical conditional; pain and its known costs; and poor general health from childhood into adulthood.

       According to a recent study by Nigerian researchers from the University of Lagos, Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and Population Council, Abuja, dental caries is an ecological disease in which the host, diet, and oral microbial flora interact over a period of time in such a way as to encourage demineralization of the tooth enamel with resultant cavity formation. 

     The study titled “Changes in the prevalence of dental caries in primary school children in Lagos State, Nigeria” and published last year in Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.  

      It reads: “While evidence show that the caries prevalence is low in many African countries like Nigeria, there are however, very few publications on national caries prevalence in Nigeria with no national study on caries incidence. The only national study on the caries in children in Nigeria was conducted in 1995. The survey showed that 30 per cent and 43 per cent of 12 and 15-year-old children had caries. Other publications on caries prevalence in Nigeria are limited to specific towns and cities and reported prevalence ranging from 13.5 to 35.5 per cent between 2004 and 2011.” 

      Why is there a rise in the cavity epidemic? Several studies implicate: unhealthy diet; lack of understanding about the caries continuum; lack of action from relevant parties; lack of access to proper dental care facilities; poor oral hygiene routines; and no/irregular visits to the dentists. 

     Researchers have also shown that untreated cavities can lead to death: A 12-year-old Deamonte Driver was reported to have died after bacteria from an abscessed tooth traveled to his brain; 24-year-old Kyle Willis died after an infection from an infected wisdom tooth spread to his brain; and 31-year-old John Schneider died after an infected tooth lead to blood infection and all his organs started shutting down.

      According to new research published in the journal BMC Public Health, sugars are the major cause of tooth decay in kids and adults.

       Researchers from University College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine looked at public health records from around the world and found that in the United States especially, tooth decay–which is one of the most common non-infectious diseases in the world–from sugar was far too high. 

       Study author Aubrey Sheiham, emeritus professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, said in a statement: “About 60 to 90 per cent of school-age children and 92 per cent of adults in the U.S. have experienced tooth decay. Only two per cent of people at all ages living in Nigeria had tooth decay when their diet contained almost no sugar, around 2g per day. This is in stark contrast to the US, where 92 per cent of adults have experienced tooth decay.” 

      Given the high prevalence of tooth decay, the researchers say we need to significantly rethink recommended sugar intake. “This means that it is now even more important to develop a radical prevention policy with a marked reduction in sugar intake since the use of fluoride on its own is insufficient to reduce substantially the burden of caries over the lifetime of individuals,” they conclude.

      However, scientists have developed new technologies including Sugar Acid Neutraliser and Pro-Argin Technology to address the anomaly.

     Before now, Colgate Cavity Protection with fluoride has been shown to be an effective decay-prevention dentifrice that can be of significant value when used as directed in a conscientiously applied programme of oral hygiene and regular professional care.

      Sugar Acid Neutralise is Colgate’s trademark name for the technology, consisting of arginine and an insoluble calcium compound, which it has developed and added to fluoride toothpaste to deliver superior cavity protection versus a control toothpaste with fluoride alone. In Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection Plus Sugar Acid Neutralise toothpaste, the insoluble calcium compound is calcium carbonate or dicalcium phosphate dehydrate. 

     Pro-Argin technology is a combination of arginine and an insoluble calcium compound. When added to fluoride toothpaste and delivered at a level of 1.5 per cent, it is proven to modulate plaque metabolism increasing ammonia production which can help neutralize sugar acids and restore the pH of the tooth to a more neutral, healthy level. By this mechanism of action, the arginine-based fluoride toothpaste provides superior cavity protection versus a control toothpaste with fluoride alone. 

     Arginine is an amino acid commonly found in proteins in foods, such as eggs, meats and poultry, milk and dairy products, vegetables, legumes, cereals and nuts. Arginine is also found in proteins naturally found in the human body. It is an important component of saliva, which can help to prevent cavities 

    Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 amino acids; arginine is one of them and is found naturally in the body. 

     The arginine used in Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection Plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser toothpaste is derived from plant/vegetable sources. 

     What is the role of calcium carbonate in Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection Plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser products/toothpaste? Calcium carbonate, one of the two insoluble calcium compounds that can be formulated in this toothpaste, is an essential component of the Sugar Acid Neutralizer technology because it provides a reservoir of calcium in the mouth to help re-mineralize early tooth decay before it becomes a cavity 

     Does the Sugar Acid Neutralise Technology work chemically or physically? Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology actually works biologically by targeting the primary cause of caries, the plaque biofilm, to reduce the effects of acids produced from sugars before they can harm the teeth. Specifically, it promotes the beneficial activity of arginolytic bacteria that convert arginine into ammonia to directly neutralize the “sugar acids” in plaque, creating a healthier environment for the teeth. 

    How does Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser work to reduce and prevent cavities?  The fluoride in Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser works by strengthening teeth and decreasing de-mineralization by acids. The Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology works to create a healthy environment for the teeth by increasing the plaque pH and further preventing demineralization and promoting re-mineralization of the teeth. Together, Sugar Acid Neutraliser technology and Fluoride help arrest and reverse the caries process by decreasing demineralization and increasing remineralization much more effectively than fluoride alone and this results in less cavitation than fluoride alone. 

     Researchers are also developing new means to prevent tooth decay. One study found that a chewing gum that contains the sweetener xylitol temporarily retarded the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. In addition, several materials that slowly release fluoride over time, which will help prevent further decay, are being explored. These materials would be placed between teeth or in pits and fissures of teeth. Toothpastes and mouth rinses that can reverse and “heal” early cavities are also being studied.

     To prevent tooth decay, the NDA recommends:

*Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste. Preferably, brush after each meal and especially before going to bed.

*Clean between your teeth daily with dental floss or interdental cleaners.

*Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacks. Avoid carbohydrates such as candy, pretzels and chips, which can remain on the tooth surface. If sticky foods are eaten, brush your teeth soon afterwards.