What is NovaMin and Why is it So Great for Tooth Remineralization? — Art of Duality

As we go through life, our teeth gradually become weaker as the enamel wears away with each passing decade. This often manifests as tooth decay and sensitivity. The abundance of surgery and processed foods just further exacerbates this degradation.

Although there’s no way to fully restore teeth, there are toothpaste technologies that many people might be unaware of, one of them being NovaMin. In the United States, fluoride is the most commonly used remineralization agent. We’re often led to believe that Fluoride is the gold standard but dental technology has come a long way. There are other remineralizing agents that can be used instead of Fluoride or even in conjunction with fluoride to help maximize remineralization and strengthen the tooth enamel.

NovaMin, also commonly referred to as bioactive glass, consists of calcium sodium phosphosilicate. The ratio of these compounds makes this bioactive glass very similar to hydroxyapatite, a mineral that’s found in bone. Because of this, NovaMin is considered to be biocompatible, meaning it won’t trigger an immune response and can be integrated into the already existing bone structure. Outside of toothpaste, this bioactive glass was also used as an implant material to aid in the regeneration of bone.

So what does NovaMin do to teeth? A meta-analysis found that along with its bone repair properties, NovaMin is also able to significantly reduce plaque and giginvital gum bleeding. It’s also able to reduce hypersensitivity by acting on the open dentinal tubules. Dentinal tubules get exposed due to loss of enamel and gum recession. When NovaMin comes into contact with an aqueous medium (saliva), the active ingredients bind to the tooth surface, beginning the remineralization process. NovaMin provides calcium and phosphate ions which form hydroxycarbonate apatite, a material that is structurally similar to the mineral composition of teeth. Once this forms, it blocks the open dentinal tubules, thus reducing sensitivity.

A study looking at caries-like lesions (tooth decay) and the effects of NovaMin on them found that NovaMin had a significant remineralizing effect, even more so than 1.1% Sodium Fluoride. On top of that, it also had an antibacterial effect. This is important as the majority of tooth decay is caused by harmful bacteria that stick onto the surface of teeth. When this bacteria builds up, it forms dental plaque. As the bacteria sits on the surface of teeth, it releases acid which results in the demineralization of teeth.

Although you can easily find NovaMin throughout Europe and Canada in Sensodyne, it is not available in the US. The US version of Sensodyne Repair and Protect has fluoride instead.

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Originally published at https://www.artofduality.com on May 28, 2023.