Some “enamel regenerating” toothpastes may worsen tooth erosion
A new in vitro study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association Foundational Science has raised concerns about the effectiveness of commercial toothpastes marketed as “enamel regenerating” in treating advanced erosive tooth wear.
Conducted using 48 bovine tooth samples, the research compared the effects of three widely available toothpastes — Elmex Erosion Protection, Dentalclean Regenerator Sensitive and Sensodyne Repair & Protect — on eroded enamel and dentin surfaces over seven days of simulated brushing and acid exposure.
Elmex Erosion Protection, which served as the positive control, showed the least amount of wear on both enamel and dentin. In contrast, Dentalclean Regenerator Sensitive caused the highest enamel and dentin wear, with Sensodyne Repair & Protect also contributing to increased enamel wear but showing similar protective effects to Elmex on dentin, according to the study.
Wear was measured in micrometers using contact profilometry. For enamel, Dentalclean led to 3.67 µm of wear, followed by Sensodyne at 2.99 µm — both significantly higher than Elmex at 1.85 µm. In dentin, Elmex and Sensodyne had nearly identical, and lowest, wear levels at 1.26 µm and 1.27 µm, respectively.
“Self-declared enamel regenerating toothpastes potentiate advanced erosive lesions,” the study concluded.
Researchers cautioned that while these products are popular among consumers seeking enamel repair, their abrasive formulations may actually accelerate wear rather than promote regeneration.
Read more: JADA Foundational Science
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