Written by: Bonnie Feldman, DDS, MBA and Becca Malizia, BS
While 100-year-old Ford antique cars are cool to look at in museums, would you use one as your everyday car? No, that wouldn’t be practical! We are constantly updating our smartphones, our wardrobe, and getting the newest and latest in technology and products. So why are we still using Listerine mouthwash— a company that hasn’t updated its product in over a century?
Good news— you can now update your mouthwash too! CTO Dr. Ryan Nolan and his team at Elementa have created a revolutionary mouthrinse product based on the latest scientific research. A curiosity that began in dental school, Dr. Nolan was constantly thinking “what has the best shot at being something that will work for everyone, is easy to use, and what is the science behind it?” The answer: silver nanoparticles. The result: Elementa’s nano silver mouthrinse.
But wait, did you say silver mouthwash? YES!
Recent scientific research has begun to shed light on nanosilver particles as therapeutic agents for periodontal disease (1). As you may guess from the name, nanosilver particles are extremely small, and are able to penetrate the biofilm barrier surrounding your teeth where other products can’t.
Dental biofilm, specifically a subset of biofilm you may know as plaque, is essentially a wall surrounding your teeth. Other neutralizing agents can’t disrupt the biofilm. In fact, Dr. Nolan explains that 99% of neutralizing agents can’t get to the plaque where it is needed most. He says that the nanosilver particles act as a trojan horse, breaking into the biofilm and allowing other neutralizing agents through, in order to disrupt the plaque build up around your teeth. In addition to acting as the delivery method, the nanosilver itself is an antimicrobial, a neutralizing agent, that promotes the uptake of calcium in the tooth.
So what else is in Elementa’s nanosilver mouthrinse?
Although this mouthrinse contains only 5 ingredients, each one is important and specifically chosen to address different aspects of oral hygiene. Nanosilver, the delivery agent; Calcium, to remineralize the teeth; Xylitol, to neutralize the acid; natural plant extracts, to enhance the flavor; and water, the base consistency tying it all together.
What can the nanosilver mouth rinse help combat?
Elementa can help in tackling bad breath, dry mouth, and cavities.
Bad breath is caused by gases, mostly sulfur, produced by bacteria in our mouths. Most products on the market try to fix bad breath by eliminating all of the bacteria. This is problematic for many reasons, one being that they can never kill all the bad breath producing bacteria, so it will always come back. However, the nanosilver actually attaches to the bacteria itself, preventing the gas from being formed— a long term solution instead of a quick fix.
Dry mouth is when the mouth stops producing enough saliva. More specifically, dry mouth is a symptom of certain autoimmune diseases (Sjogren’s), and is a side effect of many medications (Adderall, Zoloft, Prednisone). One of Elementa’s components is Xylitol, an ingredient that not only neutralizes mouth pH but also stimulates saliva production.
Cavities are not created by sugar! In actuality, it is actually the acid released by bacteria when they consume the sugar you introduce to your mouth. Everyone is unique, and certain individuals are naturally more prone to cavities because their mouth pH is more acidic than others. The nanosilver particles help break into the plaque and allow neutralizing agents into the areas of need, helping to prevent plaque build-up and return your mouth pH to where it should be.
Finally, with companies like Elementa, the future of oral health care seems to be bright and healthy!
Check out their products here!
References:
- Shawky, Heba & Basha, Soha & A. EL Batouti, Gihan & Kassem, Abeer. Evaluation of Clinical and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Silver Nanoparticles and Tetracycline Films in the Treatment of Periodontal Pockets. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences. Vol 14. 2015. 113-123. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299391569_Evaluation_of_Clinical_and_Antimicrobial_Efficacy_of_Silver_Nanoparticles_and_Tetracycline_Films_in_the_Treatment_of_Periodontal_Pockets
