Mussel-Inspired Hydrogels for Fluoride Delivery and Caries Prevention

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Research
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Fluoride agents are crucial for caries prevention, but their efficacy is limited by the oral cavity's wet environment.
• Challenges in fluoride delivery and retention hinder successful caries treatment and prevention.
• Developing advanced materials is essential to overcome these limitations in dental applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel mussel-inspired wet adhesive fluoride system for enhanced caries prevention.
• To investigate the properties and performance of this system in a simulated oral environment.
• To evaluate its potential for clinical applications in dentistry.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a mussel-inspired wet adhesive fluoride system (TS@NaF) using tannic acid (TA), silk fibroin (SF), and sodium fluoride (NaF) via self-assembly.
• Assessment of biological stability, biocompatibility, and wet adhesion properties of TS@NaF.
• In vitro evaluation of fluoride ion (F-) release, calcium fluoride (CaF2) deposition on enamel, and anticaries effects, including enamel mineral density increase.

Main Results:

• The developed TS@NaF system exhibited excellent biological stability and biocompatibility.
• Demonstrated reliable wet adhesion and topical release of fluoride ions (F-).
• Significantly induced calcium fluoride (CaF2) deposition on enamel, showing an anticaries effect and increasing enamel mineral density in vitro.

Conclusions:

• The mussel-inspired TS@NaF system effectively overcomes the limitations of traditional fluoride delivery in wet oral conditions.
• This advanced fluoride-releasing bioadhesive shows significant potential for caries prevention and enamel remineralization.
• Mussel-inspired dental materials represent a promising avenue for future clinical applications in caries management.