A new frontier in oral care with proteins and peptide infused in orally disintegrating film to prevent early dental erosion in vivo.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effectiveness of orally disintegrating films (ODFs) formulated with different proteins and peptide in minimizing early-stage dental erosion in vivo.

METHODS

Twelve individuals participated in a six-phase crossover: placebo, 1 mg sodium fluoride (NaF), 1 mg sugarcane-derived cystatin (CaneCPI-5), 5 mg maquiberry-derived cystatin (MaquiCPI-3), 1 mg orange-derived cystatin (CsinCPI-2), and 0.37 mg statherin peptide (StN15pSpS). Following prophylaxis, participants placed the ODFs on their tongues until they dissolved, after the acquired pellicle was allowed to form over 2 h. An erosive challenge (biopsy, 1 % citric acid, 15 s) was conducted on the labial surface of the maxillary central incisors. Enamel loss was assessed using Relative Surface Reflection Intensity (%SRI), and calcium release in citric acid was measured using Arsenazo-III. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post hoc tests (p < 0.05). A questionnaire assessed participants' satisfaction and any side effects.

RESULTS

The %SRI results demonstrated that MaquiCPI-3, CaneCPI-5, StN15pSpS, and NaF provided significantly greater enamel protection compared to the placebo (p < 0.05). Calcium analysis showed that the ODFs containing CaneCPI-5 and MaquiCPI-3 resulted in similarly high calcium levels, whereas the placebo and NaF groups exhibited the lowest values, with no difference between them. The CsinCPI-2 and StN15pSpS groups displayed intermediate effects, with no significant differences compared to the other groups, except for CsinCPI-2, which presented significantly reduced calcium levels compared to the MaquiCPI-3 group (p < 0.05). Participants reported satisfaction with the taste of the ODFs, found the procedures acceptable, and noted no adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONS

ODFs containing MaquiCPI-3, CaneCPI-5, and StN15pSpS effectively inhibited early dental erosion according to %SRI.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlight the potential of ODFs as innovative delivery systems for organic compounds aimed at preventing erosive tooth wear and promoting oral health.