King‘s College Scientists Make Toothpaste to Replace Enamel

Scientists at King‘s College London have been working on a toothpaste made of sheep’s wool. Unlike other toothpastes, aside from cleaning teeth, it can also repair teeth that have been worn out or damaged.

Enamel, the outer layer of a tooth, is the hardest material in the human body, but it can still wear out. When it does, teeth can rot easily, and the nerves in them will hurt much more. Damaged enamel cannot fix itself, and over time, everyone’s enamel will eventually break down, whether it’s because of the acids in foods and drinks or because of plaque buildup. Most toothpastes use fluoride to add minerals that help strengthen enamel, but when it’s worn out, there’s no getting it back; it’s gone.

The scientists at King’s College London wanted to make an enamel-like structure using a protein called keratin. It’s found in human hair, skin, and nails, and also in many animals’ horns, hooves, or feathers (and also sheep’s wool). The scientists took the keratin out of sheep’s wool and realized that when it was mixed with saliva, it turned into something that could potentially replace damaged enamel. They wanted something more natural, as opposed to using chemicals that could be dangerous (and keratin is also way stronger than the methods for repairing teeth nowadays). And because it’s more natural, keratin is also a lot safer. According to Sara Gamea, PhD, “Keratin offers a transformative alternative to current dental treatments.”