A gooey substance, similar to the slimy material marine mussels utilize to securely attach themselves to rocks and other surfaces has been found to help fight tooth sensitivity and assist in remineralizing teeth.

This substance, according to a new study published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces in November 2012, was found to cause the reformulation of dentin and enamel in teeth when bathed in the sticky substance.

The study authors, Chun Hung Chu, Yun-Zhi Zhou, Quan-Li L, Ying Cao, and Wei Liu say that approximately 75 percent (three out of every four) people have teeth sensitivity. In particular, people teeth are sensitive to cold, hot, sour, and sweet drinks and foods. Teeth sensitivity happens when the hard enamel on the outer layer of teeth become softer when the supporting dentin underlying wears away. This stimulates the nerves inside the teeth, causing the teeth to become sensitive, particularly to temperature.

While special toothpaste and certain sugar-free chewing gums can help reduce tooth hyper-sensitivity in some people, the authors indicated the need for a material that not only rebuilt enamel, but dentin simulatanously.

After conducting laboratory tests, the scientist concluded that the sticky material “may be a simple universal technique to induce enamel and dentin remineralization simultaneously.”

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Photo by: Mussels / Rannakarbid / Pille / CC BY 2.0