Choose this hydrogel therapy over your toothbrush for whiter teeth
What is the first thing people notice when they meet you? It's your smile! Besides making you look attractive when flashing your smile, healthy white teeth also make you feel confident. While toothpaste only removes external stains, whitening treatments can damage enamel. So, how can you get that billion watts smile? Researchers have invented a new hydrogel therapy that whitens teeth without damaging them.
Brushing and flossing do not help in whitening your teeth
The findings of this new research were published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. According to the American Dental Association, brushing and flossing are important and are good ways to prevent cavity formation. But these methods do not help in whitening your teeth. The researchers are not asking people to stop brushing their teeth, instead, they're urging us to choose professional treatments.
Over-the-counter treatments can damage the enamel
Over-the-counter treatments that people turn to for whitening their teeth combine hydrogen peroxide-containing gels and blue light. This combination produces a chemical reaction of reactive oxygen species that removes stains. However, this treatment can damage the enamel, leading to discoloration and cavities. Previously, researchers Xiaolei Wang, Lan Liao, and colleagues altered titanium dioxide nanoparticles to produce a less destructive tooth-whitening treatment.
Scientists wanted to find a material activated by green light
A less destructive tooth-whitening method still required high-intensity blue light, that could harm nearby skin and eyes. Therefore, they were in search of a material that would be activated by green light, a safer alternative. The scientists combined bismuth oxychloride nanoparticles, copper oxide nanoparticles, and sodium alginate to create a thick mixture, and coated the teeth's surface with it.
Teeth got brighter following hydrogel and green light treatment
The scientists sprayed the combination with a calcium chloride solution which formed a strong adhering hydrogel. Later, they tested the material on teeth stained with tea, coffee, blueberry juice, and soy sauce and placed them in a lab dish. After getting treated with green light and hydrogel, the teeth got brighter without experiencing enamel damage. The treatment also killed 94% of bacteria in biofilms.
Researchers haves tested the new method on mice
To understand whether the treatment worked on the teeth of living organisms, the scientists tried the new method on mice whose mouths were full of cavity-forming bacteria. The green-light activated hydrogel prevented the formation of moderate and deep cavities on the surface of their teeth. With these results, the authors of the study concluded that this safe, brush-free treatment prevents cavities and whitens teeth.
