Multi-Purpose Minerals for Specialty Toothpastes

MULTIPURPOSE MINERALS FOR SPECIALTY TOOTHPASTES

New and advanced mineral particles offer various benefits for specially designed applications and meet changing consumer needs. Approximately two billion people worldwide brush their teeth daily for a perfect smile. In the highly competitive toothpaste market, product options are extremely diverse. Consumers now prefer holistic solutions that not only clean teeth but also provide added value. The two most sought-after features by consumers are healthy tooth surfaces and a white appearance. When it comes to developing products that meet customer demands, rapid response from oral care product manufacturers is critical. Calcium carbonate is a multipurpose natural compound that creates various opportunities for sophisticated toothpaste applications and requires serious quality requirements. Particles offer high chemical purity and controlled low microbial load. They are also unique in their ability to simultaneously meet various requirements. Omya improves the formulation process for manufacturers and offers various health benefits for consumers. Natural calcium carbonate functions as a soft and effective cleaning particle while maintaining acidic pH and releasing calcium ions for enamel remineralization. Our natural calcium carbonates are offered under the Omyacere brand. However, the processing of raw materials is critical in achieving optimal results for a specific end product. Omya continues to be a global supplier with over 130 years of experience, with its core philosophy being investment in science and R&D.

Omya uses specialized technology to control particle sizes and morphologies to achieve different functions and a broad spectrum.

Following intensive research, a development was created that was patented in 2014 and enabled the creation of a new category of mineral particles with advanced functionality. Thanks to the modified mineral structure, there are now many options for combining calcium carbonate and other additives in the design of target products. The launch of our Omyadent 100-OG product for oral care applications has been completed. These particles function as highly effective remineralization agents and active carriers, providing controlled release of, for example, flavors and antimicrobial agents. Omyadent particles have a calcium carbonate core (CaCO3) and a hydroxyapatite (HAP) shell. HAP is a major component of hard tissues such as bone, tooth enamel and dentin. The outer surface of the processed minerals forms a leafy structure, while the core creates an internal network of interconnected pores. These two work together to improve the effectiveness of the end product and enable easy manufacturing. This composition provides high reactivity on enamel and tooth surfaces where enamel surface lesions can be easily repaired. Result: Fewer deposits and plaque formation, whiter, smoother and cleaner teeth. Additionally, the particles help create a barrier on the outside of teeth. This barrier has greater resistance to acid attack than natural and synthetically produced calcium carbonates. The hard and smooth tooth surface also has another benefit: the translucent appearance of teeth is reduced and therefore they appear brighter and whiter.

*The remineralization performance of Omyadent 100-OG outperformed other formulations, especially when used as the sole remineralization aid. *The reminerslisation performance of Omyadent 100-OG outperformed other formulations, especially when used as the sole remineralisation aid.

Omya has conducted various studies over many years with experienced laboratories and universities on this subject. The relevant research has been published as posters and presented orally at scientific conferences. For example, remineralization performance is expressed as surface microhardness improvement (SMH). This measurement relates to different minerals such as fluoride, calcium or HAP that strengthen and harden enamel. To determine parameters, a strict process protocol must be followed. First, samples of undamaged primary tooth enamel are prepared and the original surface microhardness is measured.

Subsequently, these enamel samples are demineralized under acidic conditions and SMH is measured again. Following this, remineralization treatment begins: Samples are exposed to toothpaste slurry containing remineralization agent four times daily and immersed for five minutes each time.

They are then rinsed with deionized water and artificial saliva. Following this, similar to real-life conditions, they are subjected to additional demineralization applications. This multi-level in vitro procedure is important for mimicking realistic conditions and being able to compare with in-vivo conditions. Final evaluation is performed six days later. The SMH increase following application on demineralized enamel is calculated as a percentage. Four different toothpaste mixtures were tested and the performance of the formulation containing 5% Omyadent 100-OG without fluoride outperformed other products. The results proved that the effectiveness of this component when used as the sole remineralization agent is high compared to those using a second remineralization source such as sodium fluoride. The reason may be that two remineralization sources compete and thus reduce effectiveness. Further research on this effect is ongoing.

*Omyadent 100-OG particles are active and efficient remineralization agents and carriers for controlled release and delivery of flavors and antimicrobial agents. *The particles of Omyadent 100-OG are efficient remineralisation agents and active carriers for controlled release of flavors and antimicrobials.7

Author - Tanja Budde - Head of Innovation & Technical Marketing - Consumer Goods Omya Madencilik A.Ş.