Apparatus And Methods For Visual Demonstration Of Dental Erosion On Simulated Dental Materials

Abstract

Comparative effectiveness of various oral care products such as dentifrices on preventing dental erosion may be demonstrated using simulated enamel A substrate is prepared. A mineral layer to simulate dental enamel is nucleated by solution growth on the substrate surface. Alternatively, the mineral layer may be nucleated on a template comprising a self-assembled monolayer formed on a gold layer deposited on the substrate surface. The mineral layer may comprise a homogeneous layer of hydroxyapatite or a thin veneer of hydroxyapatite on a layer of amorphous calcium phosphate. The simulated enamel is then optionally treated with an oral care product and subjected to an acid challenge. The amount of mineral layer remaining after the acid challenge illustrates the effectiveness or non-effectiveness of the oral care product at preventing dental erosion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for demonstrating dental erosion using a first demonstration model comprising a first substrate and a first simulated dental enamel layer disposed on the first substrate, the method comprising:
 treating at least a test portion of the first simulated dental enamel layer with a first oral care product; and   exposing at least the test portion of the first simulated dental enamel layer to an acid solution.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first oral care product comprises an inorganic phosphate or an alkyl phosphate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising treating at least the test portion of the first simulated dental enamel layer with a surfactant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising treating at least the test portion of the first simulated dental enamel layer with stannous fluoride and a surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium cocoyl glycinate, arginine cocoate, potassium cocoate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first simulated dental enamel layer is exposed to the acid solution for about 5 seconds to about 10 minutes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first dental enamel layer comprises a veneer of fluoridated hydroxyapatite. 
     
     
         7 . The method of claim  11 , further comprising:
 treating at least a test portion of a second simulated dental enamel layer with a second oral care product, the second simulated dental enamel layer being disposed over a second substrate of a second demonstration model;   exposing at least the test portion of the second simulated dental enamel layer to the acid solution; and   comparing an amount of the first simulated dental enamel layer remaining on the first substrate after exposure to the acid solution with an amount of the second simulated dental enamel layer remaining on the second substrate after exposure to the acid solution to assess an erosion-preventive effectiveness of the first oral care product relative to the second oral care product.