To protect your smile, nourish your teeth

By Dr Varinder Goyal

New Delhi: A smile can go a long way in making the world a better place. It depicts openness, kindness, compassion, and confidence, all in one go. But to have a healthy smile, do you know the most important thing you have to do, safeguard your teeth from plaque bacteria? Yes, that’s right! Your teeth play a very important role in your smile.

Every time you eat something, plaque bacteria in your mouth feast on leftover food particles in between your teeth and gums. They release acid as a by-product, which damages the enamel coating on your teeth and causes necessary minerals to erode from the tooth surface. Because the acid is produced shortly after eating or drinking, your mouth will most likely be acidic for 30 to 60 minutes. When the acidic by-product of plaque wears away at the enamel of the teeth, mineral compounds such as calcium and phosphate are lost, and demineralisation occurs. This is when the enamel loses its hardness and strength, becomes porous and leads to cavities and other dental issues.

Enamel Armour: How the remineralisation process strengthens your teeth

The remineralisation process is a natural method of tooth repair. It replaces lost minerals in the teeth to keep them strong and prevent tooth decay. The minerals combine to form the enamel crystals that wear away during demineralisation, rebuilding strength.

One more very important way to promote remineralisation is to keep the pH level of the saliva balanced. The pH is a scale of values that indicates the level of acidity or alkalinity of a substance. It is measured from 0 to 14, with zero being the most acidic level, 14 being the most alkaline level, and 7 being the perfect balance between the two extremes. For example, saliva's normal pH range is 5.6 to 7.9. If the pH is less than 5.6, it is considered acidic and causes demineralisation. Once the acids have been neutralized, the pH is optimal for the remineralisation process of enamel. Thus, in a way, our very own saliva acts as an armour of our enamel. The problem arises because the pH balance in our mouth keeps changing. So, what if we could regulate the pH balance?

Arginine-powered remineralisation process for brighter smiles

Recent clinical studies have shown that toothpaste containing arginine and fluoride provides superior efficacy in preventing demineralisation and promoting demineralisation. Because arginine, which is a naturally occurring amino acid and a protein building block can form a shield on our teeth enamel. An enforced armour, so to speak. It does this by neutralizing the acids in our mouth and the subsequent dangers that these acids cause.

The best thing about arginine is that it is a natural ingredient. In fact, our very own saliva has traces of arginine that enable it to act as our enamel armour. Because arginine is synergistic with fluoride, it is also a perfect complement ingredient in toothpastes. While fluoride is a well-known anti-caries agent, it has minimal impact on plaque creation in our mouths. Arginine on the other hand can positively impact the ecology of our plaque. Because it promotes good bacteria, arginine creates the most conducive environment for remineralisation. This spurs the calcium and phosphate ion deposits back onto our teeth, thereby helping to reduce caries (tooth decay) increments in low- and moderate-risk children, arrest and reverse lesions in children and adults, and have superior caries benefits compared to regular toothpaste. Hardly surprising that a study published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry found that arginine-containing toothpaste reduced the number of cavities in children by 50 per cent compared to regular fluoride toothpaste.

Dr Varinder Goyal, Professor & Head, Department of Paediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Guru Nanak Dev Dental College & Research Institute, Punjab, India

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