Thursday, 27 June 2024 Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan part of the research team, which unlocks new possibilities for improving dental care in humans

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, under the leadership of Slovenian scientist Vesna Šrot, including researcher Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan from the Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT, extensively analyzed the structure and chemical composition of rodent teeth. This discovery unlocks new possibilities for improving dental care and protecting human teeth.

The research group, which includes Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan from the Department of Biodiversity (UP FAMNIT) and Boštjan Pokorny from the Faculty of Environmental Protection, discovered that rodent incisors are exceptionally strong due to a unique outer layer rich in iron on their enamel. This layer strengthens the teeth and protects them from wear and acid corrosion.

The study also showed that different types of rodents have different thicknesses of the iron-containing enamel layer. Nutrias had the thickest layer, while mice had the thinnest. Researchers speculate that this difference is due to different lifestyles, eating patterns, biting habits, genetic factors, and mechanical stress.

In addition to the Faculty of Environmental Protection, the findings could lead to new formulations of dental care products such as toothpaste and gels that could strengthen and protect human tooth enamel. They could also contribute to the development of new biocompatible dental materials that would not cause adverse reactions.

The study was published in the prestigious journal ACS Nano and was highlighted by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

The full article is available at the link > HERE.