Whether it is due to genetics or poor dental hygiene, cavities and a string of other common oral health issues are bound to arise. Cavities can be extremely painful depending on the amount of tooth decay that is present, but even if you are someone who seems to be doing everything right when it comes to flossing, brushing your teeth twice a day, and even using mouthwash–how is tooth decay still present?
When your dentist points out tooth decay, it can be common for many people to panic about the state of their oral health. While cavities–when caught early–can be filled to prevent another one from forming or expanding into further decay, it’s also crucial to take the precautions that go into preventing them.
Hydroxyapatite is a powerful mineral that can potentially be used to reverse cavities, which makes it important to learn about where it comes from and how it can help prevent further decay!
What is Hydroxyapatite?
Learn more about this mineral, what it is found in, and how it can be easily accessible to you!
There is no bigger pest than dealing with the pain–and even the bills–that come from dental issues. Taking care of your teeth is crucial to keep your oral health in tip-top shape, including flossing every night, brushing your teeth twice a day, and using a mouthwash of your choosing. Hydroxyapatite can potentially be a great way to prevent cavities, but it’s important to know just what this mineral is first.
Where Does Hydroxyapatite Come From?
While many alternative methods of preventing cavities involve using remedies that are not derived from the human body, hydroxyapatite is. Hydroxyapatite is found in your teeth and bones—it is a calcium-phosphate mineral compound that hardens these important parts of your body to make them strong. While it can also be made synthetically using chemical salts, hydroxyapatite is found within your own body making up its structural hardness.
Hydroxyapatite makes up 70% to 80% of our teeth and it is made from large crystal compounds that can keep your enamel strong and hard. It helps prevent the breaking down of the enamel of your teeth, along with preventing bone resorption–or the breakdown of your bone structure–to keep your bone mineral density where it should be.
Is Hydroxyapatite Found in Certain Oral Health Products?
While your teeth are already made up of the mineral compound, hydroxyapatite, there are also a ton of oral health products that can help to keep your teeth strong and healthy through prolonged use. One of the most common ways to use hydroxyapatite products is through toothpaste, where it is deemed the natural alternative to fluoride. When used on a regular basis, it can help to repair teeth by strengthening the enamel, whiten teeth, and even reduce sensitivity.
How Does Hydroxyapatite Compare to Fluoride?
Many people like to compare hydroxyapatite to fluoride, even calling it its natural alternative. The good thing about both is that they can help prevent cavities and keep teeth healthy–but they have two very different ways of repairing teeth and keeping them strong. While Hydroxyapatite remineralizes the enamel by depositing calcium and phosphate to fill in cracks and strengthen the tooth, fluoride works by hardening existing enamel and preventing any demineralization.
What Are the Benefits of Hydroxyapatite?
Getting familiar with all of the benefits of this mineral compound can make it more convincing to try!
Now that you’re familiar with hydroxyapatite, where it comes from, and in what forms you can commonly take it in, it’s crucial to look over any potential benefits and risks to including it in your overall daily oral health routine. Since hydroxyapatite is a mineral compound that is derived from your own teeth and bone density, it should be healthy for you–right?
Benefits of Using Hydroxyapatite for Oral Health
Since hydroxyapatite is a natural occurring mineral that is found in your body, it can have a ton of benefits for your oral health. For example, by using a hydroxyapatite toothpaste everyday, you can see some of the following benefits:
- Fights against harmful bacteria
- Strengthens tooth enamel
- Remineralizing calcium and phosphate to enamel
- Reduces tooth sensitivity
- Prevent cavities
- Soothes gums
- Safe for oral use
- Natural whitening
Are There Any Risks to Using Hydroxyapatite?
Hydroxyapatite is generally safe to use since it is used to improve oral health. While it’s mainly found in the form of a toothpaste, overuse can become common if it is not used in the right concentration–10% is the recommended amount.
When using hydroxyapatite in excessively large amounts or even at a higher concentration, sometimes common concerns and risks can include:
- Hypermineralization–which includes white spots on teeth or a chalky appearance
- Can cause teeth to become more brittle due to hypermineralization
- May bind with existing plaque, causing more to form
- More expensive than traditional toothpaste
- Has a taste many don’t prefer
- Limited availability when shopping for it in stores
Is Hydroxyapatite FDA Approved?
It’s important to keep in mind that hydroxyapatite can be a beneficial mineral compound to add to your daily oral routine, and it is FDA approved. The FDA has deemed it safe for its use in dental products as long as they are used in good practice for both personal reasons and for dentists to use in their practice as well.
While the FDA approved hydroxyapatite, it is also crucial to know that the American Dental Association (ADA) does not due to the minimal research done on it. Many people often use hydroxyapatite as a form of cavity prevention and while it can help, it should not be the only thing that is used to do so. Making sure to floss everyday, brush your teeth twice a day, use mouthwash, and getting your two regular cleanings per year is the best possible way to be able to prevent cavities and keep your oral health in peak condition.
Can Hydroxyapatite Reverse Any Existing Cavities?
Understanding how hydroxyapatite works and seeing if it can reverse cavities you already have can potentially save you some dentist trips!
Cavities are no fun–especially when it comes to extra dentist appointments and the money that comes with it. Hydroxyapatite has a lot of benefits to your oral health, such as preventing cavities, but reversing the start of tooth decay is something that many people are seeking out methods for–and maybe this mineral compound can be what does it.
The Verdict: What Hydroxyapatite Can Do For Cavities
When it comes down to existing cavities that are in your mouth, it depends on the severity of them to determine how hydroxyapatite can help. For example, switching to a hydroxyapatite toothpaste can help the early-stage of a cavity by remineralizing the tooth enamel. It works by distributing both calcium and phosphate into the tooth enamel to repair it while also strengthening your teeth.
It’s also crucial to understand how to classify an early-stage cavity to see if hydroxyapatite can work for reversing your cavities. An early-stage cavity is classified by incipient lesions, which is the initial site of tooth decay. It can be something as simple as white or opaque spots that form on your teeth, making it the initial spot for a cavity to begin to form and the tooth to break down. It works by distributing both calcium and phosphate into the tooth enamel to repair it, while also strengthening your teeth.
Can Hydroxyapatite Repair Severe Cavities?
While hydroxyapatite may be helpful in working towards reversing early-stage cavities with little tooth decay, the same can’t be said for a severe cavity. Those cavities that you get when you can feel the toothache and see visible tooth decay present are sadly too far gone for hydroxyapatite to repair. Instead, it is crucial to schedule an appointment with your dentist to get the cavity professionally filled to prevent any further tooth decay, pain, or discomfort.
Hydroxyapatite is a great way to control the cavities and tooth decay that may be present, but it may not be the ultimate solution to get rid of them entirely. By working to remineralize your teeth and harden and strengthen the enamel, hydroxyapatite can be a great addition to any daily oral health routine. By simply switching to a toothpaste, you can work towards bettering your oral health one step at a time.
Consider making the switch to hydroxyapatite to help prevent further cavities from forming, along with strengthening and whitening your teeth too!
If you’re in the Washington, PA area and are struggling with cavities, tooth decay, or have a nagging pain in your mouth––consider contacting Elizabeth L. Wakim—where exceptional smiles start here!
Dr. Elizabeth Wakim, DDS, is the founder of Enhanced Wellness. She’s a compassionate and highly-regarded dentist with her own practice in Washington, Pennsylvania, known for providing modern, comprehensive dental care, botox and facial aesthetics with a focus on patient comfort and anxiety reduction, serving general, cosmetic, and pediatric dentistry needs.
