Scientists have discovered a way to create a toothpaste that may repair damaged teeth. That is making toothpaste with wool.

Our teeth are one of the most important parts of our bodies. Unlike skin or bones, adult teeth cannot repair themselves after they are damaged. It is the same for the outer layer of the tooth, the enamel. Enamel is the hardest part of our teeth. It is like a crystal structure, hardened by minerals. However, it could be worn down over time due to drinks and food. It could also be the result of plaque built up on people’s teeth. It produces an acid that can slowly damage the coating of teeth. If the enamel is gone, the nerves can become exposed, causing pain.

Many toothpastes contain fluoride, which can add minerals to the tooth enamel, making it stronger. Still, it cannot repair the damaged teeth. Once the enamel is gone, the body cannot make more of it, making cavities permanent.

However, scientists of King’s College London wanted to find if they could create something like enamel using keratin. It is a protein in our body that can make hair, fingernails, and skin stronger and healthier. It can be found in horns, hooves, and feathers. Also, in sheep’s wool. Sherif Elsharkawy, one of the scientists involved, sought a natural way to create enamel. He thought that keratin might do the trick. He explained that keratin could guide minerals into forming enamel-like crystals.

Scientists took keratin from sheep’s wool. They found that when keratin is mixed with saliva, it pulls in minerals and turns them into a crystal structure similar to enamel. When the toothpaste is used on teeth, it patches holes in the enamel. Dr. Elsharkawy said that the mixture has created a material as strong as the enamel of our teeth.

The researchers are really excited because keratin can be sourced from natural elements such as human hair, which means that one day, toothpaste could also be made with human hair. The scientists believe that the toothpaste could be ready to sell in about two or three years; they have also established a new company to make this a reality.