New gel can regrow tooth enamel
- World Half Full
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
HEALTH
Scientists have developed a new material that forms a gel capable of repairing and regenerating tooth enamel, paving the way for more effective and longer-lasting dental care.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering have created a bio-inspired gel that can regenerate tooth enamel by mimicking natural growth processes. The fluoride-free material forms a mineral-rich layer that restores enamel’s strength and structure while preventing decay. It can even repair exposed dentine and reduce sensitivity. Early testing shows it performs like natural enamel, with potential for rapid clinical use.
The gel can be quickly applied to teeth in much the same way as fluoride can be applied to teeth. However, this gel contains no fluoride. Instead, it’s made from proteins that imitate those naturally responsible for guiding enamel formation early in life.
Once applied, the gel forms a thin yet durable layer that seeps into the surface of the teeth, filling in tiny cracks and holes. It then acts as a scaffold that captures calcium and phosphate ions from saliva. These minerals are carefully organised into new enamel through a process known as epitaxial mineralisation. This allows the regenerated enamel to integrate seamlessly with the existing tooth structure, restoring both strength and appearance.
The material can also be used on exposed dentine, creating an enamel-like coating that helps reduce tooth sensitivity and improves how restorations, such as fillings or veneers, bond to the tooth surface.
Enamel damage plays a major role in tooth decay, which affects nearly half of world’s people. When enamel is lost, teeth become more vulnerable to infections, cavities, and even tooth loss, which have in turn been linked to broader health conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Because enamel can’t naturally regenerate once lost, dental care has long focused on prevention or temporary protection. Existing treatments such as fluoride varnishes and remineralisation products can help relieve symptoms but they don’t rebuild enamel.
Dr Abshar Hasan, a postdoctoral fellow and lead author of the study, explains, “Dental enamel has a unique structure, which gives enamel its remarkable properties that protect our teeth throughout life against physical, chemical, and thermal insults. When our material is applied to demineralised or eroded enamel, or exposed dentine, the material promotes the growth of crystals in an integrated and organised manner, recovering the architecture of our natural healthy enamel. We have tested the mechanical properties of these regenerated tissues under conditions simulating ‘real-life situations’ such as tooth brushing, chewing, and exposure to acidic foods, and found the regenerated enamel behaves just like healthy enamel.”
Professor Alvaro Mata, Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials and the study’s lead investigator, emphasises the technology’s practical potential. “We are very excited because the technology has been designed with the clinician and patient in mind. It is safe, can be easily and rapidly applied, and it is scalable. Also, the technology is versatile, which opens the opportunity to be translated into multiple types of products to help patients of all ages suffering from a variety of dental problems associated with loss of enamel and exposed dentine.”
The findings were published on November 4 in Nature Communications. Through a start-up, Mintech-Bio, Prof. Mata hopes to have a first product out in 2026.
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