They theorize that their findings could yield a tooth-repairing toothpaste within two years.
“Keratin offers a transformative alternative to current dental treatments,” said Sara Gamea, PhD researcher at King’s College London and first author of the study. “Not only is it sustainably sourced from biological waste materials like hair and skin, it also eliminates the need for traditional plastic resins, commonly used in restorative dentistry, which are toxic and less durable.”
The team’s findings were published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.