Abstract
The prevention of caries continues to remain a prominent concern among dental professionals. Although products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and sealants have all targeted this process, the challenge against primary and secondary caries still persists. This study provided a distinctive approach by creating a ubiquitous platform capable of being incorporated into several types of dentrifices. Calcium, fluoride, and phosphate salts already solvated were encapsulated and loaded into a rosin varnish. This approach was unique because it had the potential for providing bioavailable ions for remineralization. By altering certain variables, it was determined that the ions studied in this experiment were capable of diffusing from the microcapsule and through the rosin varnish in a bioavailable form. The microcapsule polymer type was found to have an effect on the rate of phosphate ion release. When analyzing the release of the three ion types, phosphate released the fastest, followed by calcium and fluoride. When comparing different loaded weight percents of microcapsules, the 3 w/w%, 9 w/w%, and 15 w/w% loaded formulations, the 15 w/w% formulation released phosphate ions the fastest, followed by the 9 w/w% and 3 w/w% formulations. The 30 w/w% and 50 w/w% loaded microcapsules released phosphate ions slower initially. Phosphate ion release profiles varied when altering the concentration of the salt within the microcapsule. Initially, a maximum release rate was observed from microcapsules containing the lowest salt concentration. However, over time, the highest concentration released the greatest number of ions. Calcium, fluoride, and phosphate all contribute to the process of remineralization, and therefore, our efforts have demonstrated the potential for the incorporation into a variety of dental therapies capable of targeting the caries process.