Dr. Urban on Today’s Dentistry/Making Teeth Stronger

Last time I discussed using xylitol sweeteners to lower the incidence of tooth decay. This is good prevention. But what happens when decay first begins and teeth become sensitive? There is now a dental cream that can be applied at home that will help harden teeth by remineralizing the soft enamel of the tooth.

The active ingredient of this cream is RECALDENT™ (CPP-ACP). It is marketed by GC America Inc. in the product named MI Paste Plus. It is also available in the Trident XtraCare with Recaldent and Trident Recaldent Calcium Sugar-free tablets.

MI Paste is pleasant tasting and adheres to the tooth surface acting like a magnet for minerals to bond back onto the tooth surface. This makes the tooth tougher and more resistant to acid etching from bacteria, foods, and saliva.

Who would benefit from MI Paste? It is safe for 1 year old children to senior citizens. MI Paste is dispensed by dentists to people who have a moderate to high decay rate. It is good for people who have a high acid level in their saliva. MI Paste helps reduce the erosion caused by dry mouth. If bleaching your teeth causes them to be sensitive you should apply the cream immediately after bleaching. If you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the head and neck area, MI Paste will help protect the teeth during this trying time.

MI Paste without fluoride is a better dentifrice for little kids who can barely brush their teeth. When they become older they can use regular toothpaste and then apply a small amount to their teeth before school and before bedtime.

This cream is also recommended for kids wearing braces. It is very difficult to fully clean every nook and cranny while the brackets and wires are on the teeth. MI Paste helps neutralize the acid levels caused by the remaining bacteria. Despite all efforts to protect the teeth white spots may appear after removing the brackets. The cream can then be applied to help remineralize these white spots (some white spots can be the beginning of decay).

Dry mouth is a common symptom due to age, stress level, smoking, dehydration, mouth breathing, caffeine, alcohol, medication, medical condition, and chemotherapy. Erosion of the tooth surface will occur even faster if the mouth is dry. MI Paste will help restore the hardness of the enamel and reverse the erosion process.

The cream should be used until the dentist determines that the decay rate has stabilized, white spots disappear, and remineralization has occurred. Thereafter you can use the Trident products containing Recaldent to maintain the remineralized teeth. MI Paste can be purchased through your participating dentist or through Amazon.com.

If it is so wonderful, why doesn’t everyone use it? Well the need must be compelling and the cost is about five times more than an equivalent amount of over the counter toothpaste. There is one last thing about MI Paste. It is sweetened with xylitol.

For answers to your dental questions, contact
Douglas Urban, D.D.S.
Cerritos, CA 90703
562 924-1523
DrDouglasUrban.com