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To investigate the differences between microcrystalline and nano-hydroxyapatite for protection against dental caries and tooth remineralization.
A trend I have noticed in recent months is that functional dentists and biological dentists are increasingly recommending products containing nano-hydroxyapatite to their patients.
What is Hydroxyapatite, or commonly abbreviated as “HA”?
HA is simply water extracted from bones.
Nothing else is added or removed.
Hydroxyapatite protects and remineralizes teeth
Studies published in the scientific literature convincingly demonstrate that hydroxyapatite provides highly effective protection against dental caries. It also provides benefits for tooth remineralization. (1, 2)
In fact, studies have shown that hydroxyapatite's dental protective effects are as good or better than fluoride.
Therefore, for those who want to avoid biological damage due to fluoride exposure, hydroxyapatite is an excellent and safe alternative.
What type of problem is it?
Is nano-hydroxyapatite, a growing choice in fluoride-free remineralizing oral care products, the right choice?
Let's take a look.
Microcrystalline vs Nano
Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite is a form of dehydrated bone that has been mechanically crushed to the finest particle size possible.
Nano-hydroxyapatite is something else entirely…the particle size is incredibly smaller than the microcrystalline form.
How much smaller can it be?
Nano is 1000 times smaller than micro. (3)
In fact, nanoparticles are so small that they can easily penetrate cell walls and even the nuclear membrane inside a single cell, where DNA is located.
Benefits and Risks
Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite is 100% safe to use in oral care products (I bought mine here), but the nano version is best avoided.
Research to date suggests that there is a risk of DNA mutations, which occur when nanoparticles breach the nuclear membrane of individual cells.
I am not questioning the research on nano-hydroxyapatite.
Not only does it help prevent cavities, but its effectiveness for remineralization purposes is also very convincing and reliable.
However, there are risks to using nanohydroxyapatite.. Some alternative medicine practitioners recommend products containing these ingredients in an attempt to mask these risks.
Simply put, progress in assessing health risks from nanoparticles, or “nanotoxicology,” has lagged far behind the rapid advances in nanotechnology itself. (4)
So, as a smart consumer, you’d better be careful when using products containing nano-hydroxyapatite, otherwise you’ll be a testing ground for this technology.
While nano hydroxyapatite may have the expected benefits, the side effects can be much more serious than cavities!
Some of the risks of nanoparticles have already been identified in the literature. Dr. Al Danenberg DDS warns of these risks, including cytotoxicity, damage, and cell DNA mutation. (5)
This occurs when the nuclear envelope is disrupted (and not just the cell membrane, as discussed in the nanoparticle studies!).
Nanohydroxyapatite is not natural
Simply put, microcrystalline hydroxyapatite is a natural material with a particle size that the body can recognize and process, whereas nanohydroxyapatite is not.
Nanohydroxyapatite is a synthetic form of hydroxyapatite with proven efficacy, but also carries many unknown risks to DNA integrity.
The particle size of nano-hydroxyapatite (or any other nanoparticle) is so small that it can easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier as well as the nuclear membrane that protects the DNA of all cells.
summary
Finally, although there are studies showing that nanohydroxyapatite is effective, Safety has not been proven.
So, if you want to enjoy the benefits of hydroxyapatite remineralization in your oral care products, stick to products from companies that use only the microcrystalline form.
As of this writing, there is only one company offering this type of product.
This is a hydroxyapatite toothpaste powder that I use and recommend in a safe particle (non-nano) form.
Do you prefer to make your own toothpaste?
These microcrystalline hydroxyapatite sachets are perfect for your homemade oral care recipes.
Finally, how should you deal with doctors who recommend nano-hydroxyapatite products for you or your children?
If I were in that situation, I would have politely declined.
Medical studies do not support that nanoparticles are safe for human DNA.
references
(1, 3) Nano or Nono? Hydroxyapatite Particle Size Matters…
(2) Scientific Sources of Hydroxyapatite for Oral Health
(4) Nanotechnology and nanotoxicology
(5) Manage your health by managing your gut (and mouth) microbiome (starts at 1:11)
