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There may be a new way to determine the abrasiveness of toothpaste.
A group of researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Halle, Germany recently conducted a study on the subject.
The cleaning particles in toothpaste were examined. These are the particles utilized to mechanically remove dental plaque. If the toothpaste is too abrasive, the tooth enamel can be damaged over time. The damage can be even more pronounced in the dentin.
The abrasive impact of a certain toothpaste on the dentin depends on the hardness level and the quantity and size of the abrasive additives. The abrasiveness was measured on a scale from 30 to 200. The values were assigned after the testers brushed over radioactively marked dentin samples.
The method used in this study differed from the traditional radiotracer system that’s used to determine the abrasiveness of toothpaste.
Human teeth were also part of this study. To achieve the results, toothpaste was diluted with water and saliva to create a solution that corresponded to the mixture of toothpaste and saliva. The friction and wear tests were conducted with a single bristle. An advanced machine was then used to carry out the tests.
The findings from the survey went into intricate details. The results were able to explain the various geometries of toothbrush filaments and how they reacted with toothpaste based on numerous factors.
