Every day, bacteria and acids they produce work to weaken your enamel. In the dental world, this process is called demineralization.
But don’t worry, with the right tools, there are so many things you can do to counteract demineralization. You just have to focus on habits (say, daily brushing with hydroxyapatite toothpaste) that give your body the opportunity to replenish the minerals that have been lost. In the dental world, this process is called remineralization.
During remineralization, you’re supplying your enamel with nutrients like calcium and phosphorus. These elements bond together to form hydroxyapatite, which penetrates weak spots in your enamel that have been targeted by bacteria....and strengthens them from the inside out.
You can think of your oral microbiome as a delicate ecosystem. You want to keep everything in balance to ensure that the demineralization doesn’t outweigh the remineralization. Otherwise, tooth decay can occur.
But with knowledge, healthy habits, and the best hydroxyapatite toothpaste, you can be sure you’re doing your best to maintain balance and avoid tooth decay, naturally.
how can enamel be restored?
Conventional dentistry will tell you that fluoride is the secret to remineralization and the prevention of tooth decay.
But research shows that fluoride remineralization is heavily influenced by variables such as saliva quality and patient compliance, whereas non-fluoride remineralization techniques are less reliant on such variables and can still drastically improve the structure and acid-resistance of the enamel.
Enter nano-hydroxyapatite.
Unlike fluoride, hydroxyapatite already naturally exists in your enamel. In fact, it composes roughly 97% of your enamel and 80% of your dentin, so it’s an essential mineral to replenish if you want to keep your enamel strong and healthy.
Because of its nano-particle size and its natural existence in your enamel, nano-hydroxyapatite has the unique ability to bond with proteins in your mouth to provide enamel repair, filling in small holes and depressions caused by bacteria and acids.
In addition to daily brushing with hydroxyapatite toothpaste, we recommend focusing on the following for enamel repair.
- maintain a healthy pH: acidic drinks like sports drinks, alcohol, and coffee are the biggest culprits to look out for. First, limit your intake of these drinks. If you decide to indulge, be sure to finish them in a short sitting (to reduce repeated exposure) and flush your mouth with water right after. It’s important to note that you shouldn’t be brushing your teeth directly after consuming an acidic food/drink, as your enamel is in a weakened state. Other factors can also disrupt the pH of your mouth, including acid reflux, mouth breath, and snoring.
- eat a mouth-healthy diet: as mentioned above, limit your mouth’s exposure to acidic/sugary foods and drinks, and instead focus on consuming mouth-healthy substances like water, dairy, lean protein, fibrous fruits + veggies, and healthy nuts + seeds.
- support saliva production: if you’re brushing with Davids, you’re already doing something to support your saliva production. Our peppermint oils, xylitol, glycerin, and hydroxyapatite work together to facilitate saliva production.
- have a holistic oral care routine: effective remineralization doesn’t stop at brushing with hydroxyapatite toothpaste. We recommend supplementing Davids with a healthy flossing routine (our friends at CocoFloss can help with that), tongue scraping (be on the lookout for a new launch coming soon), and oil pulling.
- keep tabs on your tooth sensitivity: if you already have noticeably sensitive teeth, one key way to determine if hydroxyapatite is “working” is to keep tabs on your sensitivity. As hydroxyapatite works to remineralize your enamel and plug the exposed “holes” that lead to your tooth’s center nerve, you should experience noticeable tooth sensitivity relief.
Always remember that prevention is your best friend when it comes to maintaining a healthy oral microbiome. You want to prioritize remineralization before your enamel reaches the point of permanent damage/decay.
at what point is the demineralization irreversible?
Many dentists say that small (early) cavities can still be reversed....sometimes. This requires diligent cleaning and application of remineralizing agents like hydroxyapatite toothpaste.
On the other hand, once the enamel is weakened enough for the decay to reach the softer layer below (the dentin), a permanent hole can form, leaving a cavity.
At this point, demineralization has outweighed the remineralization, and your enamel has been stripped. Remineralization with hydroxyapatite won’t reverse the damage because your enamel cannot regrow (it’s not living tissue). Remineralization can only strengthen the enamel that’s still physically there.
This is why you want to focus on remineralizing your enamel before your dentist notices a cavity (even if it’s a small one).
what’s so special about our hydroxyapatite toothpaste?
We’ve discussed why hydroxyapatite is so essential to the process of enamel repair. But with so many options out there, how do you know which hydroxyapatite toothpaste to choose?
You may think we’re biased, because...well, we are. We naturally think our hydroxyapatite toothpaste is the best on the block.
But you’re in luck....because our third-party test results are not biased.
We hired a trusted third-party lab to compare Davids Sensitive + Whitening Nano-Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste to our leading “sensitive toothpaste” competitors: Apagard Premio, Boka, Colgate Sensitive, Risewell, Sensodyne Pronamel, and Tom’s Sensitive.
When examining the results, you can literally see (below) that our hydroxyapatite toothpaste was the most effective at plugging existing holes in the enamel, remineralizing weakened areas to provide tooth sensitivity relief and guard against decay.
Try it out yourself. What do you have to lose (besides enamel damage and sensitivity)?