Amorphous calcium and phosphate
Encyclopedia
Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) is a substance used as a dental treatment. Calcium
and phosphate
are natural building blocks of teeth, and when present in insufficient amounts, there can be sensitivity after procedures such as dental bleaching or professional dental cleaning. Amorphous calcium phosphate
will help in restoring the necessary mineral balance in the mouth in an easy and efficient way.
called Enamelon in 1999, but it failed commercially. It is now found in Arm & Hammer
’s Enamel Care Toothpaste (introduced in 2004) as well as their Age Defying Toothpaste, Discus Dental’s Nite White bleaching gel, Discus Dental's Relief ACP sensitivity relief product, and Premier Dental’s Enamel Pro polishing paste. It is also used in the Aegis product line, such as Aegis Pit and Fissure Sealant, produced by Bosworth for dental professionals to use in dental offices.
have made it possible to bring calcium and phosphate in an amorphous form to the mouth. By means of casein
phosphopeptide
, a complex is created with the amorphous calcium phosphate and the resulting CPP-ACP molecule binds to biofilm
s, plaque
, bacteria
, hydroxyapatite and surrounding soft tissue, thus localizing the bio-available calcium and phosphate. This molecule is available in a commercial product from GC, a Japanese dental manufacturer and is called Tooth Mousse. When applied to tooth surfaces, it
strengthens tooth enamel
before and after bleaching, and can protect dentine after professional dental cleaning and during orthodontic treatment, helping to prevent dentine hypersensitivity. People suffering from saliva problems also benefit since the CPP-ACP replenishes tooth surface by supporting the natural flow of saliva. ACP reduces sensitivity and fadeback, and aids in the prevention of cavities.
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
and phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
are natural building blocks of teeth, and when present in insufficient amounts, there can be sensitivity after procedures such as dental bleaching or professional dental cleaning. Amorphous calcium phosphate
Calcium phosphate
Calcium phosphate is the name given to a family of minerals containing calcium ions together with orthophosphates , metaphosphates or pyrophosphates and occasionally hydrogen or hydroxide ions ....
will help in restoring the necessary mineral balance in the mouth in an easy and efficient way.
First use
ACP technology using a two-phase delivery system that prevents the calcium and phosphate from reacting was developed by Ming S. Tung at the American Dental Research Association’s Paffenbarger Research Center. It was first used in a toothpasteToothpaste
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing...
called Enamelon in 1999, but it failed commercially. It is now found in Arm & Hammer
Arm & Hammer
Arm & Hammer is a registered trademark of Church and Dwight, an American manufacturer of household products. The logo of this brand is a muscular arm holding a hammer...
’s Enamel Care Toothpaste (introduced in 2004) as well as their Age Defying Toothpaste, Discus Dental’s Nite White bleaching gel, Discus Dental's Relief ACP sensitivity relief product, and Premier Dental’s Enamel Pro polishing paste. It is also used in the Aegis product line, such as Aegis Pit and Fissure Sealant, produced by Bosworth for dental professionals to use in dental offices.
Recent developments
Recent developments by RecaldentRecaldent
Recaldent, with the technical name casein phosphopeptide – amorphous calcium phosphate, or CPP-ACP, is a milk derived product that strengthens and remineralizes teeth and helps prevent dental caries...
have made it possible to bring calcium and phosphate in an amorphous form to the mouth. By means of casein
Casein
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk....
phosphopeptide
Phosphopeptide
A phosphopeptide is a peptide incorporating one or more phosphate groups, typically associated with protein phosphorylation....
, a complex is created with the amorphous calcium phosphate and the resulting CPP-ACP molecule binds to biofilm
Biofilm
A biofilm is an aggregate of microorganisms in which cells adhere to each other on a surface. These adherent cells are frequently embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substance...
s, plaque
Dental plaque
Dental plaque is a biofilm, usually a pale yellow, that develops naturally on the teeth. Like any biofilm, dental plaque is formed by colonizing bacteria trying to attach themselves to a smooth surface...
, bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
, hydroxyapatite and surrounding soft tissue, thus localizing the bio-available calcium and phosphate. This molecule is available in a commercial product from GC, a Japanese dental manufacturer and is called Tooth Mousse. When applied to tooth surfaces, it
strengthens tooth enamel
Tooth enamel
Tooth enamel, along with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp is one of the four major tissues that make up the tooth in vertebrates. It is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance in the human body. Tooth enamel is also found in the dermal denticles of sharks...
before and after bleaching, and can protect dentine after professional dental cleaning and during orthodontic treatment, helping to prevent dentine hypersensitivity. People suffering from saliva problems also benefit since the CPP-ACP replenishes tooth surface by supporting the natural flow of saliva. ACP reduces sensitivity and fadeback, and aids in the prevention of cavities.
External links
See also
- Remineralisation of teethRemineralisation of teethRemineralisation of teeth is a process in which minerals are returned to the molecular structure of the tooth itself. Teeth are porous allowing fluids and demineralisation beneath the surface of the tooth. When demineralised, these pores become larger...
- RecaldentRecaldentRecaldent, with the technical name casein phosphopeptide – amorphous calcium phosphate, or CPP-ACP, is a milk derived product that strengthens and remineralizes teeth and helps prevent dental caries...