Remineralisation Treatments

The outer coating of your teeth which is the enamel, is made up of minerals that form a matrix, providing a hard protective outer layer. The enamel protects the softer dentine under the enamel, which in turns protects the pulps of the teeth, which contain the nerve and blood supply for the tooth. The hard protective outer layer enables the teeth to grind against each other, in order to chew food without becoming damaged.

The substance that can damage teeth the most are acids, as these cause the minerals to be lost from the enamel and any exposed dentine, causing the tooth to breakdown either through decay or erosion. This loss of minerals dentists call demineralisation.

Once the teeth have started to demineralise, this damage can be delayed or stopped by using a remineralisation treatment. This involves bathing the teeth in a source of available minerals, encouraging the teeth to absorb them and reintegrate them into the damaged matrix of the enamel, giving it a chance to repair itself.

The main minerals in enamel are Fluoride, Calcium and Phosphate. The most prevalent mineral is fluoride which is why so many toothpastes and mouthwashes focus on this ingredient. Fluoridated water has also been shown to be very effective in reducing dental decay in young children.

Nottingham does not have fluoridated water, which means that teeth in the Nottingham area get less protection from the mains water supply than other areas. For this reason a topical fluoride treatment in addition to the use of a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash is very helpful in protecting the teeth particularly in the Nottingham area.

We offer a range of supervised in-surgery remineralisation treatments