Dectaflur is a fluoride

Fluoride

Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...

-containing substance used for the prevention and treatment of dental caries

Dental caries

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay or a cavity, is an irreversible infection usually bacterial in origin that causes demineralization of the hard tissues and destruction of the organic matter of the tooth, usually by production of acid by hydrolysis of the food debris accumulated on the...

, sensitive teeth, and the refluoridation of damaged 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...

, typically in combination with olaflur

Olaflur

Olaflur is a fluoride-containing substance that is an ingredient of toothpastes and solutions for the prevention of dental caries. It has been in use since 1966...

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Chemistry and mechanism of action

Dectaflur consists of oleyl amine (the amine corresponding to oleyl alcohol

Oleyl alcohol

Oleyl alcohol, octadecenol, or cis-9-octadecen-1-ol, is a fatty alcohol coming from inedible beef fat. It is also found in fish oil.Its chemical formula is 1836 or CH37-CH=CH-8OH.It is a non-ionic, unsaturated fatty alcohol....

) and hydrofluoric acid

Hydrofluoric acid

Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water. It is a valued source of fluorine and is the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals such as fluoxetine and diverse materials such as PTFE ....

. Oleyl amine with its long lipophilic

Lipophilic

Lipophilicity, , refers to the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and non-polar solvents such as hexane or toluene. These non-polar solvents are themselves lipophilic — the axiom that like dissolves like generally holds true...

 hydrocarbon

Hydrocarbon

In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....

 chain has surfactant

Surfactant

Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid...

 properties. It forms a film layer on the surface of teeth, which facilitates incorporation of fluoride into the top layers of the enamel, reaching a depth of only a few nanometers. The precise mechanism of action is unknown.

Side effects

Like other fluorides, dectafur is toxic when overdosed over an extended period of time. Especially in children, before the development of the permanent teeth

Permanent teeth

Permanent teeth are the second set of teeth formed in humans. There are thirty-two permanent teeth, consisting of six maxillary and six mandibular molars, four maxillary and four mandibular premolars, two maxillary and two mandibular canines, four maxillary and four mandibular incisors.The first...

, overdosage can lead to dental fluorosis

Dental fluorosis

Dental fluorosis is a developmental disturbance of dental enamel caused by excessive exposure to high concentrations of fluoride during tooth development. The risk of fluoride overexposure occurs between the ages of 3 months and 8 years. In its mild forms , fluorosis often appears as unnoticeable,...

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