Morpho-Chemical Observations of Human Deciduous Teeth Enamel in Response to Biomimetic Toothpastes Treatment

Abstract

Today, biomaterial research on biomimetic mineralization strategies represents a new challenge in the prevention and cure of enamel mineral loss on delicate deciduous teeth. Distinctive assumptions about the origin, the growth, and the functionalization on the biomimetic materials have been recently proposed by scientific research studies in evaluating the different clinical aspects of treating the deciduous tooth. Therefore, appropriate morpho-chemical observations on delivering specific biomaterials to enamel teeth is the most important factor for controlling biomineralization processes. Detailed morpho-chemical investigations of the treated enamel layer using three commercial toothpastes (Biorepair, F1400, and F500) were performed through variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) on deciduous teeth in their native state. A new microscopy methodology allowed us to determine the behaviors of silicate, phosphate, and calcium contents from the early stage, as commercially available toothpastes, to the final stage of delivered diffusion, occurring within the enamel layer together with their penetration depth properties. The reported results represent a valuable background towards full comprehension of the role of organic–inorganic biomaterials for developing a controlled biomimetic toothpaste in biofluid media.

Microscopy Methods for Biofilm Imaging: Focus on SEM and VP-SEM Pros and Cons

“…High-resolution imaging in challenging experimental conditions is made possible by VP-SEM, as this technique allows for the visualization of fully hydrated and out-gassing samples with little or no sample preparation procedures [ 68 , 69 , 70 ]. In studies focusing on biofilm properties, the characterization of hydrated biofilm is fundamental, and conventional high-vacuum SEM (requiring dehydration and drying) causes matrix Eps collapse, giving a deformed biofilm appearance and disfigured architecture.…”

“…The sample is directly put into the microscope chamber, whose pressure values are near the environmental value, instead of the very low-pressure values (high vacuum) of a conventional SEM. Hydrated and non-conductive living bacterial biofilms can be visualized, without dehydration artifacts and loss of mass [ 64 , 68 ]. However, the lack of conductivity lowers resolution, and as the sample is wet, a fast image capture setting is required.…”

Characterization of Scardovia wiggsiae Biofilm by Original Scanning Electron Microscopy Protocol

“…VP-SEM allows the imaging of hydrated samples [58,59], such as delicate extracellular matrices, fine collagen fibers and fibrils in ligaments, without dehydration, critical point drying and sputter coating [60]. To image biofilm samples, VP-SEM is an available option [61,62].…”

Impact of a toothpaste with microcrystalline hydroxyapatite on the occurrence of early childhood caries: a 1-year randomized clinical trial

“…One of these biomimetic agents is particulate hydroxyapatite (HAP; a calcium phosphate mineral; Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 (OH)) [26][27][28][29][30][31][32] . HAP has been studied in different fields of preventive oral health care 14,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47] . Unlike fluoride, the accidental swallowing of HAP as a toothpaste ingredient is not associated with any relevant systemic health risks such as fluorosis, as hydroxyapatite is the main inorganic component of all human hard tissues, like teeth and bones 48 .…”