What is Hydroxyapatite? And why you should care.
Hydroxy What?
Hydroxyapatite (HA): is a naturally occurring mineral and the main ingredient of teeth and bone. In tooth enamel, it has a hardness comparable to that of window glass, whilst being much more durable. There’s only one problem: once damaged, it doesn’t grow back…
A Brief History
Having first evolved in fish as head armour over half a billion years ago, HA has since come to be the dominant mineral in vertebrates. It was first synthesised by NASA in 1970 to help restore teeth and bone loss in astronauts due to the effects of weightlessness. Since then, HA has become a revolutionary material in medicine & dentistry due to its unique ability to be accepted by the body. Today, it is widely used in bone fillings and implants, including dental ones.
Speaking about NASA, ever wondered what it’s like to brush your teeth in Space?
Some Interesting Facts…
Indeed, the presence of hydroxyapatite in your tooth enamel is what makes it the hardest tissue in your body. It is also what gives the Mantis Shrimp the deadliest hook in the animal kingdom. In fact, the Mantis Shrimp punch is so fast, that it heats up the surrounding water to the temperature of the surface of the sun, in a process called cavitation. If humans could accelerate their arms at this rate, they would be able to throw a cricket ball into space.
The Science
The problem is that little chips of enamel break-off over time and never grow back. This leads to weaker, discoloured teeth that are more prone to cavities. For this reason, it is vitally important to keep teeth well mineralised on a daily basis. That’s where Hydroxyapatite’s magic comes in. Most toothpastes stimulate remineralisation by binding fluoride to saliva, whereas HA binds directly to the surface of teeth, making it more effective at filling the gaps. By doing this, it not only prevents harmful bacteria from building up in those tiny holes, it also restores the characteristic gloss of healthy white teeth.
Hydroxyapatite is also a powerful antimicrobial. By binding to opportunistic pathogens it helps to break down the bacterial plaque that accumulates on the surface.
So how can you actually benefit from HA?
At Floe Oral Care we believe that Hydroxyapatite should be a must-have ingredient for any high quality toothpaste. That is why we have added a high concentration of nano-Hydroxyapatite particles as the main anti-cavity agent in our evening formula, to protect and remineralise your teeth while you sleep.
DAWN: Icy Mint. Whitening Natural Toothpaste
Our morning toothpaste is made with a fluoride base, combined with stevia rather than artificial sweeteners, whitening papaya enzymes, and hydrated silica cleaning boosters, infused with wild mint to provide an energising start to the day.
DUSK: Lavender Mint. Nano-Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Our evening toothpaste is also made with a fluoride base, mixed with coconut oils, stevia, and nano-hydroxyapatite particles to help remineralise your teeth and prevent cavities, flavoured with soothing lavender to help send you off to sleep.
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Floe will be launching in August 2020 as a subscription service, providing “habit-forming sets” that are designed to optimise your oral health. We believe that having the right combination of products, at the right time, is an integral part of achieving this. Don’t worry about researching things like bristle strength, toothpaste ingredients, or floss type. At Floe we have done the science for you. All you have to do is use it and let the bright smiles come through.
