Latest news with #SherifElsharkawy
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- Toronto Sun
The potential key to upgrading toothpaste? Sheep's wool and human hair.
Published Aug 15, 2025 • 4 minute read Sherif Elsharkawy with wool in the research laboratory. MUST CREDIT: King's College London jpg Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. The next major innovation in dental care just might be a new ingredient added to our toothpaste and mouthwash from an unlikely source: sheep's wool or human hair. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Both contain the fibrous protein keratin, which can repair damaged tooth enamel, according to an international study led by researchers at King's College London. The scientists found that keratin can stop the early stages of tooth decay, a problem that afflicts about 90 percent of American adults aged 20 to 64 years, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health. Reporting this week in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, the researchers said that when keratin mixes with the minerals found in saliva, such as calcium and phosphate, it forms a coating that mimics the structure of natural enamel and is comparable in strength. Tooth enamel, the protective outer layer shielding teeth, is the hardest substance in the human body, but it can be worn away by acidic foods and beverages, acid reflux, dry mouth, poor brushing and flossing, and the nighttime grinding that can occur when we sleep. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While other parts of the human body have the capacity to regenerate – fingernails, skin, bone, blood vessels and the liver – enamel cannot. 'Unfortunately, once you lose the enamel it doesn't come back. It's gone forever,' said Sherif Elsharkawy, senior author of the new paper and a senior clinical lecturer in prosthodontics at King's College London. Prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry dealing with the design, manufacture and fitting of artificial replacements for teeth and other parts of the mouth. A 2014 paper suggested that hair keratin is important to tooth enamel. Researchers who worked on the study found that people with mutations in the keratin were at increased risk of dental decay. Keratin is already found in shampoos, conditioners, skin moisturizers and lotions, and food like eggs and salmon promote keratin production. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's extremely safe,' Elsharkawy said. While keratin has yet to be added to any commercially available toothpaste or mouthwash, that might be only two or three years away, according to Elsharkawy. He also envisions a gel that dentists could use when treating patients with damaged enamel. Martinna Bertolini, an assistant professor of periodontics and preventive dentistry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine who was not involved in the study, said, 'Overall, I think it's promising as a future formulation, though this paper didn't test a real product, so formulation, safety, taste, dosing and clinical trials still lie ahead.' Elsharkawy's team, which included scientists from the University of Toronto, the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the University of Trento in Italy, tested the keratin using an artificial saliva that has a similar concentrations of elements to our own. They applied the mix to human teeth with lab-created decay and found the treatment filled in the gaps in the enamel and outperformed a plastic resin currently used to treat early decay lesions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Elsharkawy said the keratin treatment formed a shield that was five to six times harder than the one created by the plastic resin. Bertolini said it would not be difficult to adjust the chemical components that the researchers used, which should make it simpler to translate their lab results into a product that will work in a dentist's office. Sami Dogan, a professor of restorative dentistry at the University of Washington who was not involved in the study, called keratin 'a very promising technology,' for enamel repair, but one that is in the very early stages of development and may still be a decade or more from reaching the market. One clear advantage it would have, he said, is that 'keratin from the get-go is very cheap and it's also abundant.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Dogan has been working with other researchers on a peptide, a short chain of amino acids, designed to rebuild worn tooth enamel and cover sensitive tissue with 'mineral microlayers.' The technique would closely resemble the way the body develops teeth. Dogan said he could foresee using both methods – the keratin scaffold and the peptide – to treat deep cavities. Tim Wright, editor in chief of the Journal of the American Dental Association, and a professor at the Adams School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina, said that there are existing methods of creating dental scaffolding that 'are modestly successful.' While he said there is still a need to develop more effective and cheaper alternatives, he is far from sold on the keratin results in the new paper. 'It's got promise, but I would want to see it in an actual clinical trial,' he said. Elsharkawy remains confident. He said researchers intend to conduct a clinical study to learn more about the mechanism and get a better understanding of the most effective dose. For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to – a member of the Postmedia Network. Other Sports World Canada Sunshine Girls Wrestling
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Toothpaste Made From Your Own Hair May Repair Your Teeth
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new study from King's College London suggests that keratin—the protein found in human hair, skin and wool—can regenerate tooth enamel and potentially halt early tooth decay. Published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, the research found that keratin—when extracted from wool and applied to teeth—forms a crystal-like layer that mimics and rebuilds lost enamel. The study presents keratin as an eco-friendly, biomimetic alternative to traditional fluoride treatments, which can only slow decay, but not reverse it. "Enamel is the hardest tissue in the body, but unlike bone or skin, it cannot repair itself once damaged," Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy, senior author and prosthodontics consultant at King's College London, told Newsweek in an email. "Dentistry has relied for decades on synthetic materials such as plastic resins or ceramics, but these are never a perfect biological match. "I wanted to find a natural, sustainable material that could actually regenerate enamel rather than simply cover damage." Stock image: Woman pointing at her teeth. Stock image: Woman pointing at her teeth. Photo by Fizkes / Getty Images Why It Matters Tooth enamel erosion is irreversible and widespread, and it can be caused by a combination of factors. Acidic foods and drinks—such as soda, citrus and vinegar—erode enamel by lowering the pH in the mouth, which dissolves the minerals that keep teeth hard. Poor oral hygiene allows plaque bacteria to produce acids that contribute to decay, while aggressive brushing can physically wear away the enamel surface. Age also plays a role, as enamel naturally thins over time, exposing the softer dentin underneath. Conditions like acid reflux, dry mouth and eating disorders can accelerate enamel loss as well by increasing acid exposure or reducing saliva, which normally helps neutralize harmful acids. Once tooth enamel is lost, the tooth nerves are exposed, which is painful and makes the teeth sensitive. While fluoride toothpastes are standard for managing this issue, keratin offers a regenerative approach that goes beyond symptom control. What to Know Researchers used wool as a keratin source and applied it to teeth in a laboratory. "Keratin has a molecular structure that can guide minerals into forming enamel-like crystals," Elsharkawy told Newsweek. "Turning waste materials, mainly sheep wool, into a tooth-repair material felt both scientifically exciting and environmentally meaningful." The treatment is versatile, according to Elsharkawy. "Keratin can be transformed into a material as strong and functional as natural enamel," he explained. "It could be delivered through something as simple as toothpaste or as a professional in-clinic gel, making tooth-decay repair accessible, affordable, and sustainable worldwide." What People Are Saying "We knew keratin had promise, but I was impressed by how precisely it guided crystal growth into enamel-like structures," Elsharkawy said. "It did not just coat the tooth—it recreated the highly ordered crystal pattern of natural enamel, something that normally only happens during tooth development." What's Next The team is working on commercial pathways for the treatment, with Elsharkawy noting, "The response has been enormous from dentists, industry, and the public." He added that the group had launched the company Eterna Regeneratives to lead the translation of this breakthrough. "The dental industry already sees this as a game-changing innovation," he explained. "Our first go-to-market products will be toothpaste and mouthwash for daily use, followed by a more potent professional treatment for those at higher risk of decay. [...] "We are confident this will be available to the public within two years."
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Scientists reveal a bizarre cure for tooth cavities: Hair-based toothpaste could end painful dentist visits
From salon floor to smile saver You Might Also Like: Think lemon water is healthy? A Harvard-trained doctor reveals what most people get wrong Why enamel matters — and why this is a big deal As a daily-use toothpaste for ongoing enamel protection As a dentist-applied gel, similar to nail varnish, for targeted repairs Waste-to-healthcare innovation If the idea of brushing your teeth with something made from hair makes you squirm, you might want to hear the science before dismissing it. A groundbreaking study from King's College London, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, has found that keratin — the same protein found in your hair, skin, nails, and even wool — could help naturally rebuild damaged tooth no, this isn't just about plugging cavities. The research suggests keratin can encourage your teeth to regrow a protective, enamel-like layer — something dentistry has never been able to achieve until works as a kind of microscopic scaffolding. When applied to a tooth's surface, it interacts with minerals in saliva — mainly calcium and phosphate — to create a dense, crystal-like coating that closely mimics natural enamel. Over time, this layer continues to attract more minerals, strengthening itself and sealing off nerve channels that cause sensitivity.'This technology bridges the gap between biology and dentistry,' said Dr. Sara Gamea, lead researcher on the project, in the university's press release . 'Keratin offers a sustainable, biocompatible alternative to toxic and less durable dental resins.'The keratin used in the study came from wool, but researchers confirm human hair could work the same way. That means future toothpaste or dentist-applied gels could, quite literally, come from a byproduct of haircuts — turning waste into a high-value healthcare enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, but once it's worn down, it doesn't grow back. Acidic foods, sugar, aging, and poor oral hygiene all speed up erosion, leading to tooth sensitivity, pain, and eventually decay. Fluoride toothpastes can slow the damage, but they can't restore lost however, could change that. By rebuilding an enamel-like layer, it not only halts decay but may also prevent cavities before they start. Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy, senior study author, calls it 'a shift from symptom management to true biological restoration.'The King's College team envisions two ways to use keratin:With further development, the researchers believe keratin-based dental products could reach the public in the next two to three dental care, this discovery taps into a broader push for circular healthcare — finding ways to transform waste into valuable medical resources. Human hair and animal wool, which often end up discarded, could become raw materials for regenerative Dr. Gamea noted, keratin also looks more natural than existing dental restorations, as it can be matched closely to the tooth's original may sound unconventional, but if brushing with a keratin-based toothpaste means avoiding the drill, the whine of the dental chair, and costly restorative procedures, many might soon welcome it into their daily Perhaps. Game-changing? Absolutely.
Daily Mail
12-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Whole new meaning to brushing your teeth... toothpaste made from human HAIR can halt decay
Scientists believe they have found a new weapon to fight tooth decay. The researchers discovered that toothpaste made from human hair can repair damaged teeth better than fluoride-based products – and even completely halt the early stages of decay. They hope the treatments, made using keratin extracted from hair or wool, could be applied either in the form of a toothpaste or as a nail varnish-like gel for more targeted repairs. And the good news is that it could be available in as little as two to three years. Senior author Dr Sherif Elsharkawy, from King's College London, said: 'With further development and the right industry partnerships, we may soon be growing stronger, healthier smiles from something as simple as a haircut.' Teeth are covered in a hard outer layer called enamel which protects the sensitive inner layers from damage. Although it is the hardest substance in the human body – even stronger than your bones – acidic foods and drinks, and poor dental hygiene can wear enamel away. This can lead to tooth sensitivity, pain and even tooth loss in extreme cases. 'Enamel does not regenerate, once it is lost, it's gone for ever,' said Dr Elsharkawy. Toothpastes with high levels of fluoride can help slow down this process, but they cannot stop it. In the paper, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, Dr Elsharkawy says keratin from hair and wool can permanently restore tooth strength. Keratin is a fibrous protein naturally produced by our bodies that makes up our hair, nails and the outer layer of our skin. The researchers found that, when keratin is applied to teeth, it forms a dense mineral layer which mimics the structure and function of enamel. Waste hair from hairdressers or excess wool from farms could be recycled into toothpaste, meaning dentists could offer a more eco-friendly option that is more effective than current treatments. Author Sara Gamea, a PhD candidate at King's College, told the Daily Mail: 'Because hair is abundant, renewable and often discarded as waste, it provides a sustainable and cost-effective source.'
