Keep that drill at bay- A cream to reverse dental caries

The dentist's drill is perhaps one of the scariest parts of a dental visit. Add to this the aversion to noise of an autistic child or the startle reflex of a child with cerebral palsy and you get a situation that is unpleasant for dentist, child and parent alike. A high speed drill also requires the child to stay still during the procedure to prevent the dentist from accidentally nicking the tongue or cheek. All in all the drilling of a cavity is a task that is best kept at bay.Prevention is better than cure, but traditionally dentists  have viewed prevention as the steps taken to prevent dental decay such as brushing, flossing and in some cases even topical fluorides. Once dental decay sets in, however,the age old adage of "Drill-Fill-Bill" is the chosen response of the dentist. But things are changing - for the better.

CPP-ACP the remineralization cream

Casein-Phospho-Peptide Amorphous-Calcium-Phosphate; or CPP-ACP for short is a topically applied agent that helps restore calcium lost due to bacterial acids back into your child's teeth.The role of calcium in the prevention of dental disease is perhaps the most misrepresented of all dental facts. Toothpaste ads constantly show a dentist (or someone pretending to be one) telling you how calcium will make your child's tooth "strong" and prevent caries, when the actual role of calcium in toothpastes is to act as an abrasive that cleans your tooth! 

How Does it Work?

In the 1990's researchers began to notice that certain types of cheese, such as cheddar, actually helped to reduce caries. Further research showed that Casein - the milk protein that cheese is rich in binds to dental plaque - the film of deposits on your teeth and helps restore calcium that has been depleted due to acids produced by bacteria. The calcium in the teeth is in the form of calcium phosphate. A team of Australian dentists led by Prof EC Reynolds at the University of Melbourne found that a creme combining Casein with amorphous calcium phosphate not only attached to the tooth but also provided the calcium ions for the tooth. Thus CPP-ACP was born and the first commercial paste Recaldent was launched.

The Casein forms a layer on the surface of the tooth while the Calcium and phosphate ions of the creme enter the tooth. The complex also attracts more calcium and phosphate ions from the saliva

How to use it

Ever since the early success of recaldent, CPP-ACP has found itself in chewing gums, creams and toothpastes. In India currently only the cream is marketed. The cream can either be loaded onto a tray supplied by the manufacturer and applied to all the teeth or a small amount can be taken on a clean finger and applied to the affected tooth. Since the best action of the cream is when it is placed for prolonged periods of time the best time to apply it would be after the night time brush. 

Contraindications

Since the cream is made up of milk protein it is contraindicated in people who have hereditary protein intolerance. The cream does not contain fluoride and if you are worried about fluoride ingestion, especially by children with CP who cannot control their swallow, then CPP-ACP provides a safe alternative.

Listed below are a series of links featuring products that contain CPP-ACP and the countries in which they are available.

Recaldent Gums (Japan)

http://www.breezecare.co.uk/ukcard/recaldent.html

Trident Xtra Care Gums (US)
http://www.tridentgum.com/#/products/xtracare/coolmint

GC Tooth Mousse (Asia, Europe, through dentists)
http://www.gceurope.com/en/products/detail.php

GC MI Paste & GC MI Paste Plus
http://www.mi-paste.com/
http://www.gcamerica.com/

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