Kovtun
et al. (2011) have developed a new system for oral hygiene
and dental treatment that consists of either a paste or a
rinsing solution containing calcium phosphate nanoparticles,
functionalized with the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine.
As calcium phosphate is the natural component of
tooth mineral, it can lead to the re-mineralization of damaged
enamel of teeth, while chlorhexidine prevents the
colonization of the tooth surface by bacteria. In the form of
a paste, a bifunctional system with both mineralizing and
antibacterial properties was obtained in their study. The
nanoparticles may also stick to open dentin tubules at the
root surface due to their coating with carboxymethyl cellulose.
In vitro studies on teeth show that the paste sticks
well to the root surface and closes dentin tubules.