The Remineralization of Enamel from Saliva: A Chemical Perspective.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of chemical mechanisms without primary clinical or trial data
PubMed 39590389 · doi:10.3390/dj12110339
What was done
The authors reviewed the chemical and mechanistic literature concerning the natural remineralization of dental enamel by saliva. The review examined calcium phosphate crystallization pathways, intermediate phase transitions, and the regulatory roles of salivary proteins, the acquired pellicle, and plaque biofilm.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or numerical outcomes. It describes remineralization as a multistep crystallization process where salivary calcium and phosphate form metastable phases, such as amorphous calcium phosphate, before transforming into biological apatite. Salivary nanoclusters can attach to enamel, while salivary proteins inhibit excessive crystallization, and pellicle and plaque components further modulate precipitation.
Why it matters
This paper summarizes the physicochemical principles of tooth remineralization, clarifying why in vitro crystallization models fail to capture the complexity of the in vivo oral cavity.
Limits
This is a narrative review providing mechanistic descriptions without a systematic literature search, quantitative meta-analysis, or primary clinical measurements.
Cited by
- supports Commensal oral biofilms facilitate the remineralization of demineralized tooth enamel by processing minerals from saliva.