Scientists at King's College London have unveiled a dental treatment that uses keratin to repair damaged tooth enamel.
The protein found in hair, skin and wool was also discovered to be more effective than fluoride at all round tooth protection and preventing tooth decay.
Published in the journal of Advanced Healthcare Materials, the findings appeared to suggest that the groundbreaking keratin products could be available to the public as soon as two or three years following further developments.
"Enamel, once it's gone, it cannot regenerate itself, it's gone forever. So we need to find solutions to rebuild enamel," Dr Sherif Elsharkawy, senior author and consultant in prosthodontics at King’s College London, told Reuters.
According to Elsharkawy, keratin interacts with calcium and phosphate ions in saliva to form a protective coating that mimics natural tooth enamel, which cannot regenerate once eroded by acidic foods, poor hygiene, or aging.
Another positive from the study is that Keratin is biocompatible and can be sustainably sourced from biological waste like wool or human hair and which are unlike standard dental resins which may be toxic and not as durable.
The researchers are exploring two delivery methods namely a daily use toothpaste and a more professional standard for dental repairs.
If successful, it could reduce the need for invasive dental procedures, he added.
Globally, oral diseases pose a major health challenge. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that oral diseases affect about 3.5 billion people, causing pain, discomfort, disfigurement and even death.
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