Understanding Remineralization

Dental enamel is composed largely of hydroxyapatite, otherwise known as crystalline calcium. Ions are often removed from enamel via plaque and acids while leaving the overall structure of the tooth intact. Much like the popular table game Jenga, one ion is removed here and another there, until the structure is eventually compromised. This will at first cause a visible browning of the enamel affected, making that area weak and vulnerable to acid erosion. Fortunately, there is a way to put the pieces back into the framework of the tooth.

While large cavities may be too far gone, the body does have in place a function capable of remineralizing lost ions in smaller cavities. Dental enamel is a living stone, as such the minerals contained therein are unavoidably leeched out in acidic solutions. How then would the body put these minerals back into the living stone of the teeth?

The answer lies in the very air we inhale. Our bodies use saliva and carbon dioxide from the air we breathe to create a substance known as carbonic acid. Carbonic acid is an unstable, mild acid that works behind the scenes to accomplish the magic of remineralization. As with other acids, carbonic acid dissolves minerals in saliva. What makes carbonic acid different is that it rapidly converts back to carbon dioxide and water. During this process, mineral ions contained within precipitate out as ions capable of binding to the enamel structure. However, for this process to occur there must be a few conditions present.

First, saliva must contain a plentiful amount of nutrients. Some nutrients that help are zinc, phosphorus, calcium, folate, iron, vitamin d, vitamin a and vitamin c. Secondly, the carbonic acid must be produced in perimeter to the mineral molecule. From here it dissolves the mineral into an ionic block capable of binding to the demineralized portion of enamel. For the ion to bind, teeth must be free of plaque and any other debris. Once these above conditions are met, the ion is attracted to the demineralized portion via opposite polar attraction. Finally, the carbonic acid converts back to water and carbon dioxide, precipitating and incorporating the newly formed mineral into tooth structure.