GLASS COMPOSITION

Abstract

This disclosure provides a glass composition comprising approximately 50 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of B₂O₃ and approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of Li₂O, Rb₂O, K₂O, Na₂O, SrO, CaO, MgO, and ZnO. The glass composition comprises less than 30 mol% of Rb₂O. The glass composition is a quaternary system. The glass composition is a particulate material comprising particles ranging in size from approximately 1 to approximately 50 µm. The glass composition loses at least 5% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to buffered saline. The glass composition can be used to desensitize dentin. This disclosure also provides a dentin desensitizing composition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The glass compositions described herein are at least a quaternary system. These compositions include approximately 50 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of B₂O₃ and approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: LLO, Rb₂O, K₂O, Na₂O, SrO, CaO, MgO, and ZnO. The compositions contain less than 30 mol% of Rb₂O. These compositions degrade under physiological conditions and lose at least 5% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to buffered saline. Glass composition is a particulate material that includes particles ranging in size from approximately 1 to approximately 50 µm. Glass composition includes at least some particles of a size that can occlude dentinal tubules, thereby desensitizing the dentin. For the purposes of this disclosure, a particle of a size that can occlude a dentinal tubule is understood to be one that lodges in or on the dentinal tubule and reduces the movement of dentinal fluid. In the context of this disclosure, it should be understood that a glass composition that is “at least one quaternary system” refers to glasses with four or more -6 different elements. For example, a glass composition consisting only of B2O3, Li2O, and ZnO would be considered a quaternary system since glass contains the elements boron, lithium, zinc, and oxygen. Similarly, a glass composition consisting only of B2O3, CaO, and CaF2 would be considered a quaternary system since glass contains the elements boron, calcium, fluorine, and oxygen. Conversely, a glass composition consisting only of B2O3 and Na2O would be considered a ternary system since glass contains the elements boron, sodium, and oxygen. It should be understood that “approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components” refers to the total mol% of the glass components, and not to the mol% of each individual component. For example, a glass composition in accordance with this disclosure might include 2.5 mol% Li₂O and 2.5 mol% ZnO to provide the stated 5 mol% of the additional glass components. It should be understood that “approximately X mol%” refers to any value within ±2% of the stated percentage. For example, “approximately 10 mol%” would refer to values ​​from 8 mol% to 12 mol%, as all such values ​​would fall within ±2% of the stated 10%; and “approximately 50 mol%” would refer to values ​​from 48 mol% to 52 mol%, as all such values ​​would fall within ±2% of the stated 50%. It should be understood that “approximately X pm” in the context of particle size is determined based on the ASTM accepted tolerances for a test sieve of the indicated size. For example, the accepted tolerance for a 50 pm test sieve is 3 pm. Therefore, “approximately 50 pm” refers to particles ranging in size from 47 pm to 53 pm. In another example, the accepted tolerance for a 35 pm test sieve is 2.6 pm. Therefore, “approximately 35 pm” refers to particles ranging in size from 32.4 pm to 38.6 pm. The ASTM accepted tolerance for a 25 pm sieve is 2.2 pm. For test sieves without an accepted standard tolerance (such as test sieves below 20 pm), the expression “approximately X pm” refers to ±15% for sizes from 5 to 15 pm and ±50% for sizes smaller than 5 pm. For example, “approximately 1 pm” refers to particles that are 0.5 to 1.5 pm in size. Glass compositions Glass compositions according to this disclosure may include a fluoride source, such as CaF2, NaF, Na2PO3F, KF, or SnF2. Including fluoride in the glass composition results in the release of fluoride when the glass degrades. The released fluoride may form fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F) in or around the tubules. QR77 Qñ / 1 7Π7 / 3 / YILI -7 dentin, which can form a protective precipitate and further decrease dentin sensitivity. In a glass composition that includes fluoride, the fluoride source can be up to 30 mol% of the glass composition. In some examples, the fluoride source can be from approximately 1 mol% to approximately 10 mol%, for example, from approximately 1 mol% to approximately 5 mol%, of the glass composition. In particular examples, the fluoride source is approximately 15 mol% of the composition. Compositions that include CaF2 or SnF2 provide twice the fluoride per mole of starting material compared to compositions that use NaF, Na2PO3F, or KF. In some examples, the glass composition includes from approximately 1 mol% to approximately 10 mol% fluoride. In some examples, the glass composition includes from approximately 1 mol% to approximately 5 mol% fluoride. In some examples, the glass composition includes sufficient fluoride so that 0.1 g of the particulate material releases fluoride in 10 mL of buffered saline at an average rate of approximately 1 ppm / ha to approximately 15 ppm / h for 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, or 24 hours. For the purposes of this disclosure, ppm is measured as mass / mass. In particular examples, the glass composition includes sufficient fluoride so that approximately 4 to approximately 6 ppm of fluoride are released per hour for 1 hour. In some examples of glass compositions according to this disclosure, less than 20 mol%, such as less than 15 mol%, less than 10 mol%, or less than 5 mol% of the glass composition is CaO, MgO, and Na2O. In an example of a glass composition according to this disclosure, the glass composition does not include CuO; and includes less than 0.1 mol% BaO and less than 0.1 mol% P2O5. In particular examples, the glass composition does not include CuO, BaO, or P2O5. A glass composition according to the present disclosure may include from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: U2O, Rb2U, K2O, Na2U, SrO and ZnO; and wherein the glass composition comprises less than 0.1 mol% of CaO and less than 0.1 mol% of MgO. A glass composition according to the present disclosure may include from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: LhO, Rb2O, K2O, SrO and ZnO; and wherein the glass composition comprises less than 0.1 mol% of CaO, less than 0.1 mol% of MgO and less than 0.1 mol% of Na2O. -8A glass composition in accordance with the present disclosure may include from approximately 50 mol% to approximately 80 mol% of B2O3, such as approximately 50 mol% of B2O3. A glass composition according to this disclosure may include from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 40 mol%, such as from approximately 20 mol% to approximately 40 mol%, of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: LLO, Rb2O, K2O, Na2O, SrO, CaO, MgO, and ZnO. A glass composition according to this disclosure may include B₂O₃, Li₂O, and ZnO, and optionally Rb₂O, Na₂O, and / or a fluoride source. In particular examples, the glass composition includes: from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 25 mol% of Li₂O, and from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 25 mol% of Rb₂O; or from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 25 mol% of Li₂O, and from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 15 mol% of ZnO, and optionally from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 15 mol% of Na₂O. Glass compositions may include approximately 50 mol% of B₂O₃, or approximately 70 mol% of B₂O₃. A glass composition according to this disclosure may include B₂O₃ and ZnO, and optionally Rb₂U and / or a fluoride source. In particular examples, the glass composition includes: from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% of ZnO. If present, Rb₂U may be included in an amount of approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol%. Glass compositions may include approximately 50 mol% of B₂O₃. A glass composition according to this disclosure may include B₂O₃ and SrO, and optionally ZnO and / or a fluoride source. In particular examples, the glass composition includes: from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% SrO. If present, ZnO may be included in an amount of approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol%. Glass compositions may include approximately 50 mol% B₂O₃. As noted above, this disclosure also provides a glass composition that includes: fluoride, provided in approximately 5 mol% to approximately 10 mol% of CaF2, SnF2, NaF, KF, or any combination thereof; and approximately 90 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of a combination of B2O3, Na2O, MgO, and CaO, wherein the boron, magnesium, the combination of Na and any K, and the combination of Ca and any Sn in the glass composition are -9 present in elemental proportions of approximately 20:approximately 4:approximately 6:approximately 3, respectively. A specific example of such a glass composition includes: approximately 50 mol% B2O3, approximately 15 mol% Na2O, approximately 20 mol% MgO, approximately 10 mol% CaO, and approximately 5 mol% CaF2. This composition may be referred to in the present composition as “PBF1”. Another specific example of such a glass composition includes: approximately 48 mol% B2O3, approximately 9 mol% Na2O, approximately 19 mol% MgO, approximately 14 mol% CaO, and approximately 10 mol% NaF. This composition may be referred to herein as “PBF1-Na”. Particle size distribution A glass composition according to this disclosure is a particulate material that includes particles ranging in size from approximately 1 to approximately 50 µm. At least some of the particles are of a size that can settle within or on a dentin tubule. Dentin tubules have a natural variation in diameter and are primarily between approximately 0.5 and approximately 8 µm in size, for example, approximately 0.5 to approximately 5 µm. Accordingly, the glass compositions of this disclosure can be used to desensitize dentin, which may temporarily reduce pain associated with sensitive teeth. In some examples, at least 75% of the particles that make up the particulate matter are smaller than 50 pm. In other examples, at least 85% or at least 95% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm. In some examples, at least 5% of the particles that make up the particulate matter are smaller than 7 pm. In particular examples, particulate matter is composed of a plurality of particles where at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 35 pm, at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 15 pm, and at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 7 pm. In particular examples, particulate matter is composed of a plurality of particles where at least 5% of the particles are approximately 15 pm to approximately 35 pm in size, at least 5% of the particles are approximately 6 pm to approximately 15 pm in size, and at least 5% of the particles are approximately 3 pm to approximately 7 pm in size. -10In some particular examples, the particulate matter is composed of a plurality of particles where the particle size distribution is Dx10 of approximately 5 µm, Dx50 of approximately 15 µm and Dx90 of approximately 30 µm. Degradation The glass compositions described herein degrade under physiological conditions, losing at least 5% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to buffered saline solution. In some examples, the glass composition may lose at least 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to buffered saline solution. Dentin desensitizing compositions Glass compositions according to this disclosure may be formulated in a dentin desensitizing composition that includes an orally compatible, water-free carrier. Dentin desensitizing compositions according to this disclosure are water-free because the glass composition degrades upon exposure to water. For the purposes of this disclosure, “water-free” means that the dentin desensitizing composition contains so little water that the glass composition remains capable of reducing dentin sensitivity throughout the expected product life. The expected product life refers to the longest expected time between the production of the dentin desensitizing composition and the time when the dentin desensitizing composition is either completely used or discarded. The orally compatible carrier used in the dentin desensitizing composition may be a mouthwash, a carrier formulated to be mixed with additional components to form a mouthwash, or an orally compatible viscous carrier, such as a toothpaste, dental gel, prophylactic paste, dental varnish, bonding agent, or a carrier formulated to be mixed with additional components to form a toothpaste. The orally compatible viscous carrier may have a viscosity ranging from approximately 100 cP at 30°C to approximately 150,000 cP at 30°C. The dentin desensitizing composition may include a glass composition in accordance with this disclosure that includes fluoride, as discussed above, where the glass composition is present in a sufficient amount so that the desensitizing composition includes from approximately 100 ppm to approximately 5000 ppm of fluoride. An example of a dentin-desensitizing composition according to this disclosure is a toothpaste that includes a glass composition according to this disclosure and: an abrasive; a detergent such as sodium lauryl sulfate; a fluoride source; an antibacterial agent; a flavoring agent; a remineralizer; an alditol such as glycerol, sorbitol, or xylitol; another dentin-desensitizing agent; a hydrophilic polymer such as polyethylene glycol; or any combination thereof. The glass composition may be from approximately 0.5 to approximately 15% by mass of the toothpaste. A particular example of a dentin desensitizing composition according to this disclosure is a toothpaste that includes a glass composition according to this disclosure and: glycerin, silica, a polyethylene glycol (such as PEG 400), titanium dioxide, a carbomer, and a sweetener (such as acesulfame potassium or sodium saccharin). Another particular example of a dentin desensitizing composition according to the present disclosure is a toothpaste that includes a glass composition according to the present disclosure and: α-carbomer, DL-limonene, glycerin, mint flavor, a polyethylene glycol (such as PEG-8), silica, titanium dioxide, sodium lauryl sulfate, and a sweetener (such as acesulfame potassium or sodium saccharin). Another example of a dentin desensitizing composition according to this disclosure is a carrier that includes a glass composition according to this disclosure, wherein the carrier is formulated to be mixed with additional components to form a toothpaste. Another example of a dentin desensitizing composition according to this disclosure is a carrier formulated to be mixed with additional components to form a mouthwash. Particular examples of the carrier include a glass composition according to this disclosure and: an anhydrous alcohol, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, an essential oil, benzoic acid, a poloxamer, sodium benzoate, a flavor, a colorant, or any combination thereof. The additional component(s) that are mixed with the carrier to form the mouthwash may include: water, peroxide, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, an essential oil, alcohol, benzoic acid, a poloxamer, sodium benzoate, a flavor, a colorant, or any combination thereof. The carrier and the additional components may be kept in separate compartments and mixed before using the mixture as a QR7J OP / 1 7OP7 / 3 / YILI -12 mouthwash. The separate compartments may be in the form of a multi-chamber bottle, such as a forked bottle. Another example of a dentin-desensitizing composition according to this disclosure is a prophylactic paste (also referred to as a “prophylaxis paste”) that includes a glass composition according to this disclosure. Particular examples of prophylaxis pastes contemplated include a glass composition according to this disclosure and: pumice stone, glycerin, diatomaceous earth (preferably fine grit), sodium silicate, methyl salicylate, monosodium phosphate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, a sweetener (such as acesulfame potassium or sodium saccharin), a flavoring, a coloring, or any combination thereof. Methods The glass compositions according to this disclosure can be synthesized by: mixing appropriate molar quantities of the starting reagents; packing the precursor mixture into a platinum crucible (Johnson Matthey, Noble Metals, Pennsylvania); placing the packed crucible into a furnace (Carbolite, RHF 1600) at room temperature; heating the furnace (e.g., at a rate of 25 °C / minute) to an initial residence temperature of 600 °C; holding the temperature for 60 minutes; increasing the temperature (e.g., at a rate of 20 °C / minute) to a residence temperature of 1100 °C; holding the temperature for 60 minutes; and cooling the molten glass between two stainless steel plates. It should be understood that the ramp rates, times, and specific temperatures disclosed above may be modified, provided the glass melts. Ramp rates of 10–20 degrees / min and maintaining the residence temperature can eliminate at least some gas bubbles from the glass. The resulting cooled glasses can be crushed / ground separately in a planetary micromill (Pulverisette 7, Fritsch, Germany) and sieved using ASTM E-11 compliant sieves (Colé Palmer, USA) to obtain particles <25 µm. The glasses can be stored under vacuum in glass scintillation vials. Although the resulting glass composition includes oxides, the starting reagents may include oxides, carbonates, or both. For example, the starting reagent may include boron oxide, rubidium carbonate, lithium carbonate, and calcium fluoride. The rubidium carbonate and lithium carbonate decompose in the furnace to release CO2, and their corresponding oxides are generated. Particle size is measured using a Malvern Mastersizer (MS) 3000 laser diffraction particle size analyzer. Glass powders are suspended separately in deionized water to obtain an obscuration value for the suspension. -13 between 5-8%. The suspensions are measured using a blue (λ = 470 nm) and red (λ = 632.8 nm) laser and are measured 5 times (n = 5). Fluoride release is measured by placing 0.1 g of the glass composition into 10 mL of TRIS-buffered saline (BioUltra, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada) in a 15 mL Falcon tube. The solution is stirred at 120 rpm and maintained at 37 °C for the desired release period, such as 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h. At the end of the process, the liquid portion is decanted and filtered through a 0.22 µm filter (Sarstedt syringe filter, Canada) into new, clean, capped 15 mL Falcon tubes, which are then stored at 4 °C until the amount of fluoride is quantified. The concentration of released fluoride is quantified using an Accumet® AB250 ion-selective / pH electrode meter equipped with a fluoride electrode combination (Accumet®). Standard solutions are prepared using an analytical fluoride standard specifically for ion-selective electrodes (NaF, F 0.1 M, Sigma Aldrich, Canada) and calibration curves are generated prior to analysis.Liquid extracts were prepared from the extraction of each composition for ion analysis according to the electrode manufacturer's instructions. Ion concentrations are presented as the average of n = 3 ± SD. In the context of this disclosure, the mass loss of a glass composition relates to a solid glass cylinder that is 6 mm long and 4 mm in diameter. The glass cylinder is prepared by producing molten glass, as described above, by cooling the molten glass in a stainless steel mold (6 mm long by 4 mm in diameter) placed between two stainless steel plates. Excess glass on the cylinders is removed by carefully scraping with a Speedy Sharp tool, and the remaining excess glass is removed (while being placed back into the stainless steel molds) using a polishing / abrasive wheel with 240-grit sandpaper and applying pressure to the molds / glass on the wheel. Glass cylinders with ragged edges, air bubbles, or spalling are excluded. The mass loss for a given glass composition is measured using three cylinders. The length and diameter of each cylinder are measured and recorded three times (changing the measurement position each time) and recorded as a mean ± SD. The mass of each cylinder is measured separately (Sartorius Cubis, Model MSU-224S 100 DI, Colé Palmer). The three cylinders are placed in separate 50 mL Falcon tubes with 20 mL of TRIS-buffered saline (BioUltra, Sigma Aldrich, Canada) in each tube. The tubes are then placed in a shaking incubator (Thermos Scientific, MaxQ 4000) at 37 °C and shaken at 120 rpm for 24 h. After 24 h, the cylinders are filtered from the solution, rinsed with cold distilled water, and allowed to dry overnight in an oven at 37 °C. Once dry, the length, diameter, and mass are measured. -14The abrasiveness of a composition is determined by measuring the gloss and surface roughness of a composite resin or enamel surface after brushing with the composition. ESPE Filtek Supreme Ultra Universal Restorative, shade A2B (3M, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA) is cured in a 12.7 mm diameter, 2 mm thick split metal mold. Mylar sheets are placed above and below the mold, and glass plates are used to press and flatten the composite material and remove any excess by squeezing it out. A broadband multi-wavelength LED light curing unit (Valo Grand, Ultradent Products, South Jordan, Utah, USA) is placed directly over the specimens and cured for 20 s on the standard setting. Excess material is removed by hand before mounting the specimens for brushing. The samples are stored at 37 °C in the dark for a minimum of 24 hours before use. The surface of the enamel samples is prepared by polishing with different grit levels to produce a flat, smooth surface. Low-grit sandpaper is used to create the initial flat surface (P800C, Klingspor, Haiger, Germany), followed by increasing grit levels and polishing. The final polishing stages are carried out on cloth pads with thick suspensions of alumina oxide powder, first 3 µm and then 0.3 µm (Buehler Ltd., Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA). Each polishing step is performed for approximately 1 minute, applying pressure by hand. A custom-built brushing machine (Ultradent, South Jordan, UT, USA) simulates brushing 10 samples simultaneously. It is equipped with toothbrushes (GUM 459PC brand, Sunstar, Guelph, Ontario, Canada) with constant 176 g loads applied during brushing. The toothbrushes are replaced after 10,000 brushing cycles. The samples are coated with a minimum of 3 mm of a thick toothpaste and distilled water slurry at a 5:8 weight ratio during brushing. The samples are rotated to a different position every 2,500 brushing cycles (ensuring that the sample is brushed with the same toothpaste each time it is moved). The 20,000 brushing cycles represent approximately two years of brushing.The repetitions and position of the toothpastes in the machine are randomly distributed using a random number generator (for each substrate material), while manually ensuring that there are a minimum of two repetitions of the same toothpaste during a single cycle to ensure the rotation of the toothbrushes. A gloss meter (Novo-Curve G, Rhopoint Instruments, Hastings, UK) is used to measure the gloss of the composite and enamel surfaces. Gloss is measured at three random points to create a surface average. The gloss meter's calibration is verified daily using a traceable calibration plate. -15 high and low reflectivity. The brightness is measured at 0, 5000, 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 brushing cycles and a new thick suspension of toothpaste is used after measuring the brightness. The average surface roughness was also measured before brushing and after 20,000 brushing cycles. An atomic force microscope (nGauge, ICSPI Corporation, Rev. 1.0, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) was used to measure the average roughness at three different positions to calculate a surface average. A 25 x 25 pm area was scanned at a speed of 1200 ps / pixel. The data were analyzed using Gwyddion software (http: / / gwyddion.net). Examples All glass compositions shown in Table 1 were synthesized by weighing predetermined amounts of analytical-grade reagents (boron oxide, rubidium carbonate, lithium carbonate, and calcium fluoride) (Sigma Aldrich, Canada). The individual formulations were mixed for 60 min to ensure homogeneity. Each precursor mixture was placed and packed into 50 mL platinum crucibles (Johnson Matthey, Noble Metals, Pennsylvania). The packed crucible was then placed in a furnace (Carbolite, RHF 1600) at room temperature. The furnace was heated (25 °C / min) to an initial residence temperature of 600 °C and held for 60 min. The temperature was then increased (20 °C / min) to a final residence temperature of 1100 °C and held for 60 min. Upon removal, each molten glass was cooled between two stainless steel plates.The resulting cooled glasses were separately crushed / ground inside a planetary micromill (Pulverisette 7, Fritsch, Germany) and sieved with ASTM E-11 compliant sieves (Colé Palmer, USA) to obtain <25 pm particles. Glass Identifier B2O3 (mol%) L2O (mol%) Rb2O (mol%) CaF2 (mol%) BCF100 70 20 10 0 BCF101 70 20 9 1 BCF102 70 20 8 2 BCF103 70 20 7 3 BCF104 70 20 6 4 BCF200 70 10 20 0 BCF201 70 9 20 1 BCF202 70 8 20 2 BCF203 70 7 20 3 BCF204 70 6 20 4 Table 1. Exemplary glass compositions according to this disclosure. -16Table 2 shows the particle size distribution for the sample glasses in Table 1. Glass identifier Dx (10) Dx (50) Dx (90) BCF100 5.16 14.5 29.7 BCF101 4.23 11.9 25 BCF102 4.77 13.8 29.1 BCF103 4.75 13.6 28.4 BCF 104 3.97 12.7 28.3 BCF200 6.87 15.1 27.6 BCF201 6.31 16.2 31.7 BCF202 6.5 16.9 32.5 BCF203 6.22 16.5 32.4 BCF204 6.35 17 33.6 Table 2. Particle size distribution (pm). It should be understood that Dx(n.0) refers to the number of particles that are smaller than the indicated size. For example, BCF100 has a Dx(10) of 5.16 microns, which means that 10% of the particles are smaller than 5.16 microns. The release of fluoride from the glass samples in Table 1 was evaluated in a buffered saline solution for 12 and 24 hours using the method described above. The ppm values ​​of released fluoride are shown in Table 3. Glass Identifier Fluoride Release -12 hours (ppm) Fluoride Release -24 hours (ppm) BCF100 0 0 BCF101 32 31 BCF102 59 58 BCF103 69 77 BCF104 65 70 BCF200 0 0 BCF201 24 23 BCF202 48 47 BCF203 62 59 BCF204 76 71 Table 3. Average fluoride release (ppm) at 12 and 24 hours. BCF201 was formulated in two toothpastes to study the abrasive effects of the glass particles and compared with the abrasive effects of the toothpaste. -17Sensodyne™ Whitening Repair and Protect™ (“Sensodyne”) and Colgate™ Optic White™ toothpaste (“Colgate Optic’j . The exemplary glass was formulated with: (a) Colgate™ Enamel Health Sensitivity Relief™ (Colgate-Palmolive, Toronto, ON, Canada) (“Colgate EN”) or (b) Gel 7 HT (Germiphene, Brantford, ON, Canada) (“Gel”), a pH-neutral fluoride gel toothpaste that does not contain abrasive materials. The results of the abrasive tests are illustrated in the following tables and in Figures 1 through 10. Table 4 shows the Gloss Units of a composite resin surface after different numbers of brushing cycles using different toothpastes. Table 5 shows the Gloss Units of a composite resin after different numbers of brushing cycles using different toothpastes. Table 6 shows the roughness of a composite resin surface after 20,000 brushing cycles using different toothpastes. Table 7 shows the roughness of an enamel surface after 20,000 brushing cycles using different toothpastes. QR7 / Qñ / I 7Π7 / 3 / YILI Brushing cycles Gel Gel + BCF201 Colgate EN Colgate EN + BCF201 Colgate Optic Sensodyne 0 91 + / - 3 91 + / - 3 90 + / - 3 90 + / - 3 90 + / - 3 91 + / - 3 5,000 91 + / - 4 91 + / - 3 63 + / - 9 69 + / - 8 75 + / - 6 56 + / - 8 10,000 90 + / - 3 91 + / - 3 55 + / - 1 64 + / - 10 68 + / - 8 46 + / - 9 15,000 90 + / - 3 91 + / - 3 49 + / - 7 59 + / - 9 62 + / - 8 39 + / - 8 20 000 89 + / - 4 90 + / - 3 46 + / - 6 52 + / - 8 56 + / - 10 25 + / - 7 Table 4. Gloss Units of a composite resin surface after different numbers of brushing cycles Brushing cycles Gel Gel + BCF201 Colgate EN Colgate EN + BCF201 Colgate Optic Sensodyne 0 105+ / -5 105+ / -4 105+ / -3 105+ / -4 105 + / -3 105 + / -3 5,000 83 + / - 5 103+ / -3 96 + / - 9 103 + / -5 93 + / - 5 103 + / -4 10,000 73 + / - 7 100+ / -4 89 + / -10 102 + / -3 86 + / - 6 102 + / -5 15,000 68 + / - 5 100+ / -4 85 + / -10 101 + / -4 80 + / - 4 102 + / -3 20,000 60 + / - 8 100 + / -3 79 + / - 11 99 + / - 4 76 + / - 4 100 + / - 4 Table 5. Gloss Units of an enamel surface after different numbers of brushing cycles Gel Cycles Gel + Colgate Colgate Colgate Sensodyne brushing BCF201 EN EN + Optic BCF201 0 7 + / - 2a b 7 + / - 3a'b 8 + / - 2a b 9 + / - 4a 9 + / - 3a 9 + / - 3a 20 000 4+ / - 1b 6 + / - 2a b 42 + / - 9 30 + / - 9 35 + / -13 65 + / - 22 Table 6. Roughness of a composite resin surface after 20,000 brushing cycles Brushing cycles Gel Gel + BCF201 Colgate EN Colgate EN + BCF201 Colgate Optic Sensodyne 0 5 + / - 2C 5 + / - 1c 6 + / - 2C 10 + / - 10cd 5+ / - 1c 6 + / - 3C 20 000 5 + / - 2C 5 + / - 1c 20 + / - 12e 9 + / - 5d 19 + / - 5e 8 + / - 3cd Table 7. Surface roughness of enamel after 20,000 brushing cycles Table 8 shows additional exemplary glass compositions in accordance with this disclosure, along with glass compositions that are not examples in this disclosure, showing the mole percentages of different components. Identifica dor del vidrio B2O3 LÍ2O RbO2 Na2O SrO ZnO CaF2 NaF KF SnF2 BCF301 50.0 23.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF302 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF303 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.4 25.6 BCF304 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.2 0.0 25.8 BCF305 50.0 23.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.2 BCF306 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.5 BCF307 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.1 0.0 24.9 0.0 BCF308 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.3 0.0 0.0 25.7 0.0 BCF309 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 BCF310 71.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 28.8 0.0 BCF311 50.0 0.0 0.0 24.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.8 BCF312 50.0 25.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.6 0.0 BCF313 50.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF314 50.0 24.2 25.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF315 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 BCF316 74.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.8 0.0 0.0 BCF317 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.7 24.3 0.0 0.0 BCF318 50.0 0.0 24.9 0.0 0.0 25.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF319 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.2 0.0 24.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF320 50.0 25.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.8 0.0 0.0 BCF321 75.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.6 BCF322 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 30.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF323 50.0 0.0 0.0 23.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.8 0.0 BCF324 52.0 29.0 5.0 2.4 4.2 6.4 0.4 0.0 0.3 0.3 BCF325 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 BCF326 50.0 0.0 24.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF327 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.5 13.7 12.8 0.0 11.9 0.0 BCF328 77.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 22.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF329 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.2 23.8 0.0 BCF330 50.0 0.0 23.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.5 BCF331 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.6 0.0 0.0 24.4 0.0 0.0 BCF332 50.0 0.0 25.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.3 0.0 0.0 BCF333 50.0 0.0 25.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.3 0.0 BCF334 50.0 0.0 0.0 24.8 0.0 25.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF335 70.5 0.0 0.0 29.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF336 50.0 0.0 26.2 23.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF337 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.9 0.0 24.1 0.0 0.0 BCF338 73.3 26.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF339 58.4 0.0 1.7 9.2 8.8 8.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.3 BCF340 50.0 26.4 0.0 23.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF341 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.3 0.0 0.0 24.7 BCF342 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.2 0.0 BCF343 59.5 13.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.7 0.0 9.2 9.2 BCF344 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.9 BCF345 50.0 22.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 27.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF346 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.9 25.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF347 50.0 0.0 0.0 25.8 24.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF348 73.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF349 50.0 0.0 24.9 0.0 25.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF350 50.0 0.0 0.0 27.6 0.0 0.0 22.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF351 73.9 0.0 26.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF352 73.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF353 50.0 11.0 0.0 13.1 0.0 11.6 10.5 3.8 0.0 0.0. QR7 / Qn / I 7Π7 / Σ1 / Υ BCF354 50.0 0.0 0.0 24.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.1 0.0 0.0 BCF357 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.9 25.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF362 73.9 0.0 26.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF363 73.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 26.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 BCF364 50.0 11.0 0.0 13.1 0.0 11.6 10.5 3.8 0.0 0.0 Table 8 The exemplary glass compositions and additional compositions, shown in Table 8, were selected based on a mixture design (Design Expert 8.0.4, Stat-Ease Inc.) to evaluate the effect of various component ranges on the glass composition. The glass compositions were synthesized as described above. In summary, sufficient quantities of analytical-grade reagents (Sigma Aldrich, Canada) were weighed out to form each of the above compositions. The individual formulations were mixed for 60 min to ensure homogeneity. Each precursor mixture was placed and packed into 50 mL platinum crucibles (Johnson Matthey, Noble Metals, Pennsylvania). The packed crucible was then placed in a furnace (Carbolite, RHF 1600) at room temperature. The furnace was heated (25 °C / min) to an initial residence temperature of 600 °C and held for 60 min. The temperature was then increased (20 °C / min) to a final residence temperature of 1100 °C and held for 60 min. Upon removal, each molten glass was cooled between two stainless steel plates. The following compositions are specific examples of compositions that formed glasses under the cooling conditions described above; such conditions represent an alternative to the standard cooling conditions that would be suitable for a production-scale process. Glass identifier B2O3 Li2O RbO2 Na2O SrO ZnO CaF2 NaF KF SnF2 BCF301 50 23.2 0 0 0 0 26.8 0 0 0 BCF308 50 0 0 0 0 24.3 0 0 25.7 0 BCF313 50 25.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 24.6 0 BCF315 50 24.2 25.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BCF320 50 0 24.9 0 0 25.1 0 0 0 0 BCF321 50 0 0 0 25.2 0 24.8 0 0 0 BCF322 50 25.2 0 0 0 0 0 24.8 0 0 BCF324 50 0 0 0 0 20.0 30.0 0 0 0 BCF342 50 0 0 0 0 25.9 0 24.1 0 0 BCF357 50 0 0 0 24.9 25.1 0 0 0 0 BCF364 50 11.0 0 13.1 0 11.6 10.5 3.8 0 0 Table 9 - Examples of compositions that formed glasses under the described cooling conditions The resulting cooled glasses for the exemplary compositions listed in Table 9 had the following intensive properties: Glass Identifier Density (g / cm3) % Crystallinity Glass Transition Temperature (°C) Start Inflection Fictitious BCF301 2.5879 (±0.03) 1.20 425.8 450.7 451 BCF308 2.7420 (±0.004) 0.9 415.5 435.7 426 BCF313 2.3125 (±0.01) 1.3 379.1 392.2 387 BCF315 2.8084 (±0.07) 0.7 310.3 310.6 294 BCF320 3.1301 (±0.04) 0.4 410.0 410.2 436 BCF321 3.2655 (± 0.009) 0.9 512.6 526.0 521 BCF322 2.3414 (±0.008) 0.5 387.2 398.2 352 BCF324 3.1335 (±0.009) 2.1 530.4 519.3 546 BCF342 2.9056 (±0.01) 1.8 462.3 474.6 482 BCF357 3.5263 (± 0.004) 0.5 552.2 578.2 605 BCF364 2.6382 (± 0.02) 1 391.6 401.8 402 Table 10 - Intensive properties of some exemplary glasses The resulting cooled glasses for the exemplary compositions listed in Table 9 were separately crushed / ground inside a planetary micromill (Pulverisette 7, Fritsch, Germany) and sieved with ASTM E-11 compliant sieves (Colé Palmer, USA) to obtain <25 pm particles. Table 11 shows the particle size distribution for the sample glasses listed in Table 9. BCF315, BCF326 degraded in deionized water too quickly to obtain accurate particle size measurements. Glass identifier Dx (10) Dx (50) Dx (90) BCF301 3.15 11.00 24.30 BCF308 3.07 9.71 22.10 BCF313 4.70 11.00 21.00 BCF315 * ★ * BCF320 3.11 9.23 20.60 BCF321 2.94 9.73 20.70 BCF322 3.96 10.40 21.10 BCF324 3.63 9.39 19.80 BCF342 3.36 10.90 24.30 BCF357 2.79 9.66 21.90 BCF364 2.9 8.73 19.8 Table 1 - Particle size distribution (pm) The mass loss and fluoride release from the glass samples listed in Table 9 were evaluated in buffered saline at 1, 4, and 24 hours. Samples were prepared in 15 mL conical test tubes (n = 3), which were weighed and their weight recorded. 0.1 grams of each glass powder (<25 µg) were weighed separately and placed in 10 mL of TRIS-buffered saline (BioUltra, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada) in the weighed 15 mL Falcon tubes. The tubes were sealed with Parafilm before being placed in a shaking incubator at 37 °C and shaken at 120 rpm for four separate time points: 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. Once the specified time points had elapsed, the tubes were removed from the incubator and the solutions were immediately centrifuged (Eppendorf, Centrifuge 5702) at 3.0 RCF / 4.4 RPM for 15 minutes. The supernatant was decanted into new 15 mL Falcon tubes.In addition, samples of the powders incubated for 48 hours were resuspended in 10 mL of fresh TRIS-buffered saline by vortexing and allowed to incubate for an additional 8 hours (for a total incubation time of 56 hours). The re-incubated powders were processed identically to the other samples. The pellets were dried in an oven at 50 °C in their respective Falcon tubes. Fluoride ion release was measured using an Accumet AB250 ion / pH selective meter equipped with a fluoride electrode (Fisher Scientific). To calibrate the probe, six standard solutions were prepared using an analytical fluoride standard specifically for ion-selective electrodes (NaF, 0.1 F, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada). The fluoride concentrations of the standards were synthesized as follows: 1000 ppm, 100 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 0.1 ppm, and 0.01 ppm, respectively, using TRIS-buffered saline (BioUltra, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada) as the solvent. TISAB concentrate (4.5 mL) was added to each standard before calibration (according to the manufacturer's instructions). Once the probe was calibrated, the slope of the standard was checked to ensure it was within the specified range. TISAB concentrate (1.0 mL) was added to the decanted supernatants and then measured -23 fluoride concentrations using the calibrated probe. Ion concentrations are presented as the mean ± SD. The values ​​for mass loss and ppm of released fluoride are shown in Table 12. BCF314 was completely degraded in the buffered saline solution before the 1-hour time point and, furthermore, did not include any source of fluoride. Glass identifier Mass loss (%) Fluoride release (ppm) 1 4 24 1 4 24 BCF301 45.23 36 62 22 26 24 BCF308 13.74 13 14 50 54 67 BCF313 100% N / AN / A 270 N / AN / A BCF315 N / AN / AN / AN / AN / AN / A BCF320 56.43 63 58 1 1.2 1 BCF321 38.55 59 65 21 21 18 BCF322 100% N / AN / A 329 N / AN / A BCF324 7,554 20 13 15 11 6.7 BCF342 12.37 8.1 18 22 22 29 BCF357 14.66 13 18 0 0.1 0 BCF364 13.488 21 12 30 32 31 Table 12 - Mass loss and fluoride release for sample glasses at 1, 4 and 24 hours The compositions listed in Table 8 reflect a design space. The results of the studied compositions yielded the following equations, which may allow for the relative comparison of different compositions and / or may be useful for identifying trends associated with different components within the compositions. While experimental and modeling errors preclude absolute prediction of glass properties, the equations can be used to guide and refine glass composition design. When used together, these models can help suggest which factors can be eliminated when tailoring multi-component compositions within the studied composition space. In the following equations, the listed component values ​​are expressed as percentages (not fractions or decimals). For example, 50 mol% B₂O₃ would be “50” (not “0.5”). In general, glass formation is expected under the studied cooling conditions if the following formula is equal to or less than 1.60: (2.01 * ey+ 0.99) / (1 + ey) where y = - 0.086622*[B2O3] + 0.14169*[Li2O] - 0.565849*[ZnO] + 0.192175*[Na2O] - 0.461537*[CaF2] + 0.036636*[KF] + 0.00365*[NaF] + 0.191201*[SnF2] + 0.192612*[RbO2] + 0.199999*[SrO] + 0.01393*[B203]*[ZnO] + 0.012239*[B2O3]*[CaF2] 0.012412*[Li2O]*[CaF2] - 0.013904*[Li20]*[Rb02] - 0.010857*[ZnO]*[CaF2] 0.013296*[ZnO]*[RbO2] - 0.010699*[ZnO]*[SrO] + 0.010128*[CaF2]*[KF] - 0.012103*[CaF2]* [SrO], The density of a glass can generally be predicted using the following formula: p=0.018783*[B2O3] + 0.026444*[L2O] + 0.046191*[ZnO] + 0.033814*[Na2O] + 0.039196*[CaF2] + 0.026997*[KF] + 0.029458*[NaF] + 0.049441*[SnF2] + 0.047057*[RbO2] + 0.054984*[SrO]. Glass densities of approximately 1.3 g / cm3 to approximately 2.2 g / cm3 can be particularly useful in non-aqueous oral care formulations. Glycerol and silica, which are the main liquid and solid components of a non-aqueous toothpaste, have densities of 1.3 and 2.2 g / cm3, respectively. The glass transition temperature (Tg) can generally be predicted using the following formula: Tg=3.49398*[B2O3] + 3.66342*[Li2O] + 6.38755*[ZnO] + 6.23689*[Na2O] + 6.43079*[CaF2] + 3.31695*[KF] + 5.04074*[NaF] + 9.88761*[SnF2] + 3.29777*[RbO2] + 10.51264*[SrO]. It should be understood that glasses with phase separation can exhibit multiple glass transitions, the magnitude of which is not necessarily representative of the volumetric distribution of the phases. Although the above equation predicts the onset of a glass transition, the predicted onset may not be the predominant glass transition of the composition if phase separation occurs. Therefore, a predicted glass transition temperature may be significantly different from the prevailing measured glass transition temperature. The equation related to the percentage of mass loss after 1 hour under the studied conditions is: (100*ey) / (1 + ey) where y = 0.088098*[B2O3] + 0.062481*[L¡2O] - 0.262486*[ZnO] + 0.055442*[Na2O] - 0.165517*[CaF2] + 0.089171*[KF] + 0.075875*[NaF] + 0.10439*[SnF2] + 0.109897*[RbQ2] - 0.089987*[SrQ], The above equation is highly predictive for identifying glass compositions that demonstrate complete dissolution within 1 hour under the studied conditions, and can be useful for identifying other glasses that degrade within this time frame. Furthermore, although the equation does not provide precise estimates of -25 mass loss for slower degradation compositions; the equation can be useful for predicting the relative changes in degradation that might be expected to occur with changes in composition. Such relative changes can be used as a guide in the design of the glass composition. The equation related to the release of fluoride (in ppm) after 1 hour under the studied conditions is: (2750 * / (1 + ey) where y = -0.05785*[B2O3] - 0.158337*[Li2O] - 0.170872*[ZnO] - 0.184773*[Na2O] + 0.05638*[CaF2] + 0.101381*[KF] + 0.053886*[NaF] - 0.307462*[SnF2] 0.183034*[RbO2] - 0.184126*[SrO], Although the above equation does not provide an accurate estimate of the amount of fluoride released for all glass compositions, the model can still be useful in predicting the relative changes in fluoride release that might be expected to occur with changes in composition. PBF1 was synthesized by weighing 11.60 g of B2O3, 5.30 g of Na2CO3, 2.69 g of MgO, 3.33 g of CaCO3, and 0.7 g of CaF2 (Sigma Aldrich, Canada). The starting materials were mixed for 60 minutes to ensure homogeneity. The mixture was placed and packed into 50 mL platinum crucibles (Johnson Matthey, Noble Metals, Pennsylvania). The packed crucibles were then placed in a furnace (Carbolite, RHF 1600) at room temperature. The furnace was heated (25 °C / minute) to an initial residence temperature of 600 °C and held for 60 minutes. The temperature was then increased (20 °C / minute) to a final residence temperature of 1200 °C and held for another 60 minutes. When it was removed, the molten glass cooled between two stainless steel plates.The resulting cooled glasses were separately crushed / ground inside a planetary micromill (Pulverisette 7, Fritsch, Germany) and sieved with ASTM E-11 compliant sieves (Colé Palmer, USA) to obtain <25 pm particles. The comparative glass compositions (referred to as Comparative Examples (CE) 1 and 2) were synthesized similarly, using: 5.80 g of B2O3, 23.66 g of P2Os, 5.30 g of Na2CO3, 1.34 g of MgO, 6.67 g of CaCO3 and 0.70 g of CaF2 to give: CE1 with approximately 25 mol% B2O3, approximately 25 mol% P2Os, approximately 15 mol% Na2O, approximately 10 mol% MgO, approximately 20 mol% CaO and approximately 5 mol% CaF2; and CE2 with 5.80 g B2O3, 23.66 g P2Os, 7.07 g Na2CO3, 1.34 g MgO, 5.00 g CaCO3 and 0.70 g CaF2 to give EC2 with approximately 25 mol% B2O3, approximately 25 mol% P2Os, approximately 20 mol% Na2O, approximately 10 mol% MgO, approximately 15 mol% CaO and approximately 5 mol% CaF2. -26The density of the glass powders was measured using an AccuPyc 1340 helium pycnometer (Micromeritics, USA) fitted with a 1 cm³ insert. Prior to use, a standard with a volume of 0.718512 cm³ was used to calibrate the pycnometer. For the glass analysis, the insert was packed with approximately 0.5 to 0.7 grams of glass powder. Three samples of each glass were analyzed, and each measurement is the mean of 10 readings. The density of PBF1 was measured to be 2.5951 ± 0.0072 g / cm3. The density of CE1 was measured to be 2.7079 ± 0.0021 g / cm3. The density of CE2 was measured to be 2.6749 ± 0.0013 g / cm3. Fluoride release and mass loss were measured for PBF1, EC1, and EC2. Samples were prepared in 15 mL conical test tubes (n = 3), which were weighed and their weight recorded. 0.1 g of each glass powder (<25 µg) was weighed separately and placed in 10 mL of TRIS-buffered saline (BioUltra, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada) in the weighed 15 mL Falcon tubes. The tubes were sealed with Parafilm before being placed in a shaking incubator at 37 °C and shaken at 120 rpm for four separate time points: 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. Once the specified time points had elapsed, the tubes were removed from the incubator and the solutions were immediately centrifuged (Eppendorf, Centrifuge 5702) at 3.0 RCF / 4.4 RPM for 15 minutes. The supernatant was decanted into new 15 mL Falcon tubes.In addition, samples of the powders incubated for 48 hours were resuspended in 10 mL of fresh TRIS-buffered saline by vortexing and allowed to incubate for an additional 8 hours (for a total incubation time of 56 hours). The re-incubated powders were processed identically to the other samples. The pellets were dried in an oven at 50 °C in their respective Falcon tubes. Fluoride ion release was measured using an Accumet AB250 ion / pH selective meter equipped with a fluoride electrode (Fisher Scientific). To calibrate the probe, six standard solutions were prepared using an analytical fluoride standard specifically for ion-selective electrodes (NaF, 0.1 F, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada). The sodium fluoride concentrations of the standards were synthesized as follows: 1000 ppm, 100 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 0.01 ppm, and 0.001 ppm, respectively, using TRIS-buffered saline (BioUltra, Sigma-Aldrich, Canada) as the solvent. TISAB concentrate (4.5 mL) was added to each standard before calibration (according to the manufacturer's instructions). After the probe was calibrated, the slope of the standard was checked to ensure it was within the specified range. TISAB concentrate (1.0 mL) was added to the decanted supernatants and then measured QA7 / Q0 / I 7P7 / 3 / YILI -27 fluoride concentrations were measured using the calibrated probe. Ion concentrations are presented as the mean ± SD. The amount of fluoride ion released by PBF1 was measured to be: 89 ± 2 ppm at 5 min; 94 ± 3 ppm at 30 min; 105 ± 5 ppm at 1 hour; and 94 ± 7 ppm at 3 hours. No measurable fluoride ion was released by EC1 or EC2. Mass loss was calculated by comparing the mass of the dried samples after exposure to TRIS-buffered saline with the initial mass of the samples. The mass loss of PBF1 was: 42.0 ± 2.1% after 5 minutes; 47.3 ± 2.7% after 30 minutes; 51.5 ± 4.3% after 1 hour; 41.7 ± 5.7% after 3 hours; 70.1 ± 6.8% after 24 hours; and 100% after 48 hours. The particle size of seven different PBF1 samples was measured using a Malvern Mastersizer model 3000 laser diffraction particle size analyzer. Glass particles were suspended separately in distilled water to achieve a 2–5% darkening value. Prior to analysis, the glass powder was stored in a vacuum desiccator and removed for analysis during 3 x 5 cycles, each lasting approximately 20 seconds. The suspensions were measured using a blue (λ = 470 nm) and a red (λ = 632.8 nm) laser (n = 5). Dx10 (pm) Dx50 (pm) Dx90 (pm) PBF1.1 3.18 11.9 26.9 PBF1.2 3.44 10.5 22.2 PBF1.3 3.26 9.99 22.1 PBF1.4 N / AN / AN / A PBF1.5 3.35 12.3 27.4 PBF1.6 3.44 10.3 22.3 PBF1.7 4.84 13.2 27.1 Table 13 - Particle size distribution for PBF Apatite formation was confirmed in simulated body fluid for PBF1, but was not evident with EC1 or EC2. The simulated body fluid was synthesized according to the methods and instructions published by Kokubo and Takadama (Kokubo, T. and Takadama, H. Biomaterials (2006) 27:15, pp. 2907-2915). One-liter batches of FCS were prepared in a 1000 ml Nalgene bottle (FEP bottle). The prepared FCS was stored at room temperature for 24 hours immediately after synthesis to ensure stability before experimental use. If not needed immediately, the FCS was stored in a tightly sealed Nalgene bottle at 6°C (up to 30 days for experimental use). -28According to the TCO4 method (published in Magon, ALB, Kim, TB, Valliant, EM et al. J Mater Sci: Mater Med (2015) 26: 115), 0.75 g of glass powder from each glass composition (n = 3) were immersed in 50 mL of FCS, synthesized as described above, in polyethylene containers. The containers were then placed on an orbital shaker incubated at 37 °C and shaken at 120 rpm for three time points: 30 min, 3 h, and 12 h. After the time points, each sample was vacuum-filtered using Whatman 42 or grade 5 filter paper (2.5 µm particle retention) to collect the solid material from the solution. The solids were immediately washed with distilled water and acetone to stop any further reaction. The filtered samples were dried in a vacuum desiccator for further analysis. Each specimen was imaged using a Hitachi S-4700 FEG scanning electron microscope (Hitachi, Chula Vista, CA) operating at 3 kV and 15 mA with a magnification of 1000x and 10000x. The samples were mounted on slides using double-sided carbon tape and sputter-coated with gold-palladium for 70 s (Leica EM ACE200, Wetzlar, Germany). Scanning electron microscope images of PBF1 at 30 minutes, 3 hours, and 12 hours are shown in Figures 11–14. The dentin tubule occlusion of PBF1 was also evaluated by developing a protocol for the application and statistical analysis of SEM (scanning electron microscopy) images classified by two evaluators according to a categorical occlusion scale. Human dentin sections (approximately 1 to 1.5 mm thick) were prepared from the crowns of unrestored, caries-free molars, perpendicular to the long axis of the roots, using a diamond disc saw. Each section was pickled for 2 minutes with 10% citric acid, followed by a 60-second water rinse, sonication for 2 minutes, and an additional 60-second water rinse. Each section was placed in a 25-mm diameter mold and covered with 3-mm-deep acrylic resin. Once the resin hardened, the dentin surface was sequentially polished with 800- and 2500-grit sandpaper to a mirror finish.After rinsing with deionized water, the surface was pickled, sonicated, and rinsed once more. Sample integrity, tubule density, and permeability were checked again using a light microscope and then by SEM. A single dentin sample was assigned to each treatment group. The dentin sample was treated with (i) an unformulated mixture of exemplary glass particles, (ii) a trial toothpaste that included a mixture of exemplary glass particles, or (iii) a control toothpaste without any additional glass particles. The unformulated mixture was applied using a powder-free nitrile-gloved finger for 10 seconds. QR7 / Qn / I 7Π7 / 3 / YILI -29 test and control toothpastes were applied to the sample using an electric toothbrush for 10 seconds. The toothpaste was left on for 30 seconds before rinsing until all visible toothpaste was removed. This was repeated for a total of 4 toothpaste applications. Dentin samples were oven-dried for 1 hour at 37°C, sputter-coated with gold, and visualized using a Phenom ProX scanning electron microscope. Five 3000x magnification images were taken of different portions of each sample, in which the tubules were perpendicular to the surface. Each 3000x photomicrograph was examined by two blinded evaluators to determine the extent of dentin tubule occlusion on a five-point categorical scale. The rating was defined as follows: .Occluded (100% occlusion) .Mostly occluded (75% occlusion) .Equal (50% occlusion) .Mostly not occluded (25% occlusion) .Not occluded (0% occlusion) The mean scores for each image were derived from the scores of the two evaluators. Standard deviations were calculated, although no formal statistical comparisons were made due to the fact that only one dentin sample was used per treatment group. Seven different treatment groups were studied, as described in Table 14. Treatment Group Test Item Materials 1 Untreated dentin sample N / A 2 Test item #1 0.1 g PBF1 3 Test item #2 0.0125 g PBF1 + 0.25 g Sensodyne™ Complete Protection (5% w / w) 4 Test item #3 0.0375 g PBF1 + 0.25 g Sensodyne™ Complete Protection (15% w / w) 5 Control item #1 0.25 g Sensodyne™ Complete Protection 6 Control item #2 0.25 g Colgate™ Pro-Relief 7 Control item #3 0.25 g Sensodyne™ Repair & Protect Table 14 - Treatment groups for dentin tubule occlusion testing As discussed above, each sample treatment group was studied in a dentin sample and five SEM photomicrographs were taken from each sample. -30x3000. Each photomicrograph was categorically evaluated by two evaluators. The mean score of each photomicrograph and the five photomicrographs per sample were combined to obtain a mean score and standard deviation for the group (see Table 15). QR77 00 / 1 7P7 / 3 / YILI Treatment group Group mean (± SD) 1 4.90 (±0.22) 2 1.50 (±0.0) 3 2.90 (±1.02) 4 2.40 (±0.42) 5 3.60 (±0.22) 6 3.60 (±0.22) 7 3.20 (±0.45) Table 15 - Mean occlusion score for different treatment groups The mean initial score of 4.90 for treatment group 1 illustrates that virtually all dentinal tubules were not occluded. The mean score of 1.50 for unformulated PBF1 rubbed directly onto the dentin sample illustrates almost complete blockage of the tubules. Treatment groups 5, 6, and 7 (control groups lacking PBF1 or any other glass composition as per this disclosure) had mean occlusion scores of 3.2 to 3.6. Treatment groups 3 and 4 (commercial toothpaste formulated with 5% or 15% w / w PBF1) had lower mean occlusion scores, indicating a greater degree of tubule occlusion. The degree of occlusion with the commercially available Sensodyne™ Complete Protection toothpaste increased from approximately 30% occlusion (score 3.6) to approximately 50% occlusion (score 2.5) when 15% w / w PBF1 was added. The occlusion of PBF1 dentinal tubules was further evaluated using a sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) paste containing 5% w / w PBF1. In this evaluation, the PBF1-containing toothpaste and the control toothpaste were applied to three different dentin samples for each treatment group. Each sample was brushed once for two minutes with the treatment toothpaste. Specifically, each dentin sample was brushed with 0.25 g of the treatment toothpaste for 120 seconds and then rinsed with DI water for 30 seconds. The 5% PBF1-SLS paste resulted in a mean occlusion score of 2.7 ± 0.84. The SLS paste without PBF1 resulted in a mean occlusion score of 3.80 ± 1.03. A control test with Sensodyne™ Repair & Protect resulted in a mean occlusion score of 3.90 ±0.66. -31 PBF1-Na was prepared following the protocols discussed above. In summary, the glass was synthesized by weighing 11.05 g of B2O3, 3.36 g of Na2CO3, 2.56 g of MgO, 4.77 g of CaCO3, and 1.33 g of NaF (Sigma Aldrich, Canada). The starting materials were mixed for 60 minutes to ensure homogeneity. The mixture was then placed and packed into 50 mL platinum crucibles (Johnson Matthey, Noble Metals, Pennsylvania). The packed crucible was then placed in a furnace (Carbolite, RHF 1400) at room temperature. The furnace was heated (25 °C / minute) to an initial residence temperature of 600 °C and held for 60 minutes. The temperature was then increased (20 °C / minute) to a final residence temperature of 12000 °C and held for 60 minutes. After removal, the molten glass was cooled between two stainless steel plates.The resulting cooled glasses were separately crushed / ground inside a planetary micromill (Pulverisette 6, Fritsch, Germany) and sieved with ASTM E-11 compliant sieves (Colé Palmer, USA) to obtain <25 pm particles. The particle size of ten different PBF1-Na samples was measured as previously analyzed. Dx10 (pm) Dx50 (pm) Dx90 (pm) PBF1-Na.1 4.7 14.9 35.2 PBF1-Na.2 4.6 14.4 31.2 PBF1-Na.3 4.2 13.3 29.9 PBF1-Na.4 4.5 14.1 30.7 PBF1-Na.5 4.3 12.0 26.7 PBF1-Na.6 4.4 13.9 30.5 PBF1-Na.7 4.1 12.1 26.2 PBF1-Na.8 4.3 12.2 25.5 PBF1-Na.9 4.0 11.8 25.7 PBF1-Na.10 4.2 13.3 29.7 Average 4.3 13.2 29.1 Table 16 - Particle size distribution for PBF1-Na Density, % crystallinity, and glass transition temperatures were also measured for the ten different samples as analyzed above. Glass Identifier Density (g / cm3) % Crystallinity Glass Transition Temperature (°C) Start Fictitious Inflection PBF1-Na.1 2.543 (± 0.004) 1.5 494.2 508.3 518.3 PBF1-Na.2 2.537 0.004) (± 1.8 492.6 506.1 519.6 PBF1-Na.3 2.546 0.003) (± 1.8 493.7 506.6 520.6 PBF1-Na.4 2.544 0.003) (± 1.9 493.3 506.7 519.9 PBF1-Na.5 2.548 0.004) (± 1.8 492.5 505.6 520.0 PBF1-Na.6 2.544 0.004) (± 1.8 493.0 507.0 519.3 PBF1-Na.7 2,549 0.005) (± 1.6 491.6 504.5 517.1 PBF1-Na.8 2.546 0.004) (± 1.8 491.3 506.6 520.4 PBF1-Na.9 2.545 0.004) (± 2.0 494.1 505.3 520.4 PBF1-Na.1O 2.541 0.004) (± 1.9 491.7 506.3 517.7 Average 2.544 0.005) (± 1.8 492.8 506.3 519.3 Table 17 - Intensive properties for PBF1-Na Mass loss and fluoride release were also measured after 24 hours for the ten different samples as analyzed above. Glass identifier Mass loss (%) Fluoride release (ppm) PBF1-Na.1 70.3 92.0 PBF1-Na.2 71.7 91.2 PBF1-Na.3 71.7 88.9 PBF1-Na.4 73.3 88.4 PBF1-Na.5 73.0 87.5 PBF1-Na.6 73.3 95.0 PBF1-Na.7 72.0 98.8 PBF1-Na.8 72.0 93.9 PBF1-Na.9 72.7 94.2 PBF1-Na.10 73.3 97.6 Average 72.3 92.8 Table 18 - Mass loss and fluoride release after 24 hours for PBF1Na The preceding description includes numerous details for explanatory purposes, intended to provide a complete understanding of the examples. However, it will be evident to someone skilled in the art that these specific details are unnecessary. Consequently, the description provided is merely illustrative of the application of the examples, and numerous modifications and variations are possible after reading the preceding descriptions. Since the foregoing description provides examples, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art may make modifications and variations to the particular examples. Consequently, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the particular examples set forth herein, but should be interpreted in a manner consistent with the specification as a whole.

Claims

1. A glass composition comprising: from approximately 50 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of B2O3; from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: LLO, Rb2O, K2O, Na2U, SrO, CaO, MgO, and ZnO; 0 mol% of CuO; less than 0.1 mol% of BaO; and less than 0.1 mol% of P2O5; wherein the glass composition comprises less than 30 mol% of Rb2O, wherein the glass composition is at least a quaternary system, wherein the glass composition loses at least 5% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to a buffered saline solution, and wherein the glass composition is a particulate material comprising particles having a size of approximately 1 to approximately 50 pm 2. The glass composition according to claim 1, wherein the glass composition comprises from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: U2O, Rb2U, K2O, Na2O, SrO and ZnO; and wherein the glass composition comprises less than 0.1 mol% of CaO and less than 0.1 mol% of MgO, such as substantially without CaO and substantially without MgO.

3. The glass composition according to claim 1, wherein the glass composition comprises from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: U2O, Rb2U, K2O, SrO and ZnO; and wherein the glass composition comprises less than 0.1 mol% of CaO, less than 0.1 mol% of MgO and less than 0.1 mol% of Na2O, such as substantially without CaO, substantially without MgO and substantially without Na2O.

4. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 50 mol% B2O3.

5. The glass composition according to claim 1, comprising from approximately 50 mol% to approximately 80 mol% of B2O3. QRz / an / Lznz / q / YiAi 6. The glass composition according to claim 1 or 5, comprising from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 40 mol% of the glass component selected from the group consisting of: Li2O, Rb2O, K2O, Na2O, SrO, CaO, MgO, ZnO and any combination thereof.

7. The glass composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the glass composition comprises B2O3 and L2O.

8. The glass composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the glass composition comprises B2O3, U2O and Rb2O: from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 25 mol% of U2O, and from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 25 mol% of Rb2O.

9. The glass composition according to claim 8, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 70 mol% B2O3.

10. The glass composition according to claim 8, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 50 mol% B2O3.

11. The glass composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the glass composition comprises B2O3, L2O and ZnO, and optionally Na2O.

12. The glass composition according to claim 11, wherein the glass composition comprises: from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% of Li2O, and from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% of ZnO, and optionally from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 15 mol% of Na2O.

13. The glass composition according to claim 12, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 70 mol% B2O3.

14. The glass composition according to claim 12, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 50 mol% B2O3.

15. The glass composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the glass composition comprises B2O3 and ZnO.

16. The glass composition according to claim 15, wherein the glass composition comprises from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% ZnO.

17. The glass composition according to claim 16, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 50 mol% B2O3.

18. The glass composition according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the glass composition further comprises RbO2. QR77 Qn / LZnZ / q / YILI 19. The glass composition according to claim 18, wherein the glass composition comprises from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% of RbO2.

20. The glass composition according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein the glass composition comprises B2O3 and SrO.

21. The glass composition according to claim 20, wherein the glass composition comprises from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% SrO.

22. The glass composition according to claim 21, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 50 mol% B2O3.

23. The glass composition according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the glass composition further comprises ZnO.

24. The glass composition according to claim 23, wherein the glass composition comprises from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 30 mol% ZnO.

25. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the glass composition comprises 0 mol% CuO, 0 mol% BaO and 0 mol% P2O5.

26. The glass composition according to claim 1, wherein less than 20 mol%, such as less than 15 mol%, less than 10 mol%, or less than 5 mol% of the glass composition is CaO, MgO, and Na2O.

27. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein at least 75% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.

28. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein at least 85% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.

29. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein at least 95% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.

30. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 7 pm.

31. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein: at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 35 pm, at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 15 pm, and at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 7 pm.

32. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein: at least 5% of the particles are of a size of approximately 15 pm to approximately 35 pm, at least 5% of the particles are of a size of approximately 6 pm to approximately 15 pm, and at least 5% of the particles are of a size of approximately 3 pm to approximately 7 pm.

33. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein: approximately 10% of the particles are smaller than 5 pm, approximately 50% of the particles are smaller than 15 pm, and approximately 90% of the particles are smaller than 30 pm.

34. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 33, wherein the glass composition loses at least 20% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to a buffered saline solution.

35. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 33, wherein the glass composition loses at least 40% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to a buffered saline solution.

36. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 33, wherein the glass composition loses at least 60% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to a buffered saline solution.

37. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 33, wherein the glass composition loses at least 80% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to a buffered saline solution.

38. The glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 37, further comprising a fluoride source in the form of: CaF2, NaF, Na2PO3F, KF, SnF2, or any combination thereof.

39. The glass composition according to claim 38, wherein the fluoride source is approximately 30 mol% of the glass composition.

40. The glass composition according to claim 38, wherein the fluoride source is approximately 15 mol% of the composition.

41. The glass composition according to claim 38, wherein the fluoride source is from approximately 1 mol% to approximately 10 mol% of the composition.

42. The glass composition according to claim 38, wherein the fluoride source is from approximately 1 mol% to approximately 5 mol% of the composition.

43. The glass composition according to any one of claims 38 to 42, wherein the fluoride is present in a sufficient amount so that 0.1 g of the particulate material releases the fluoride in 10 mL of a buffered saline solution at an average rate of approximately 1 ppm / ha or approximately 15 ppm / h for 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 or 24 hours.

44. A toothpaste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 43.

45. A toothpaste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 38 to 42, wherein the toothpaste includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

46. ​​A prophylactic paste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 43.

47. A prophylactic paste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 38 to 42, wherein the toothpaste includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

48. A dental varnish comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 43.

49. A dental varnish comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 38 to 42, wherein the toothpaste includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

50. Use of the toothpaste according to claim 44 or 45 to at least temporarily reduce the pain associated with sensitive teeth.

51. Use of the prophylactic paste according to claim 46 or 47 to at least temporarily reduce the pain associated with sensitive teeth.

52. Use of dental varnish according to claim 48 or 49 to at least temporarily reduce pain associated with sensitive teeth.

53. A method for reducing at least temporarily, in an individual, the pain associated with sensitive teeth, the method comprising applying: toothpaste according to claim 44 or 45, prophylactic paste according to claim 46 or 47, or dental varnish according to claim 48 or 49, to the dentin in the individual.

54. A glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 43 for desensitizing dentin.

55. The glass composition for desensitizing dentin according to claim 54 for temporarily reducing pain associated with sensitive teeth.

56. A dentin desensitizing composition comprising: (i) the glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 43, 54 or 55; and (ii) an orally compatible, waterless carrier.

57. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 56, wherein the orally compatible carrier is a mouth rinse.

58. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 56, wherein the orally compatible carrier is formulated for mixing with a mouth rinse.

59. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 56, wherein the orally compatible carrier is a viscous, orally compatible carrier.

60. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 59, wherein the viscous, orally compatible carrier has a viscosity of approximately 100 cP at 30 °C to approximately 150,000 cP at 30 °C.

61. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 59, wherein the viscous, orally compatible carrier is a toothpaste, dental gel, prophylactic paste, dental varnish, or adhesive agent.

62. The dentin desensitizing composition according to any one of claims 56 to 61, wherein: the glass composition is the glass composition according to any one of claims 38 to 43; and the dentin desensitizing composition includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

63. A glass composition comprising: QR7J OP / 1 7OP7 / 3 / YILI -40fluoride, provided in approximately 5 mol% to approximately 10 mol% of CaF2, SnF2, NaF, KF or any combination thereof, such as approximately 5 mol% CaF2 or approximately 10 mol% NaF; and approximately 90 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of a combination of B2O3, Na2O, MgO, and CaO; wherein boron, magnesium, the combination of Na and any K, and the combination of Ca and any Sn in the glass composition are present in elemental ratios of approximately 20:approximately 4:approximately 6:approximately 3, respectively, wherein the glass composition loses at least 5% by mass within 24 hours when exposed to a buffered saline solution, and wherein the glass composition is a particulate material comprising particles having a size of approximately 1 to approximately 50 pm 64. The glass composition according to claim 63 comprising: approximately 50 mol% B2O3, approximately 15 mol% Na2O, approximately 20 mol% MgO, approximately 10 mol% CaO, and approximately 5 mol% NaF, KF, CaF2, SnF2, or any combination thereof.

65. The glass composition according to claim 63 or 64, wherein at least 75% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.

66. The glass composition according to claim 63 or 64, wherein at least 85% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.

67. The glass composition according to claim 63 or 64, wherein at least 95% of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.

68. The glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 67, wherein at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 7 pm.

69. The glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 67, wherein: at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 35 pm, at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 15 pm, and at least 5% of the particles are smaller than 7 pm.

70. The glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 67, wherein: -41 at least 5% of the particles are of a size of approximately 15 pm to approximately 35 pm, at least 5% of the particles are of a size of approximately 6 pm to approximately 15 pm, and at least 5% of the particles are of a size of approximately 3 pm to approximately 7 pm.

71. The glass composition according to claim 63 or 64, wherein: 10% of the particles are smaller than 5 pm, 50% of the particles are smaller than 15 pm, and 90% of the particles are smaller than 30 pm.

72. The glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 71, wherein the glass composition comprises approximately 5 mol% CaF2.

73. A toothpaste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72.

74. A toothpaste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 62 to 71, wherein the toothpaste includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

75. A prophylactic paste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72.

76. A prophylactic paste comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72, wherein the toothpaste includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

77. A dental varnish comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72.

78. A dental varnish comprising the glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72, wherein the toothpaste includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

79. The glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72 for desensitizing dentin.

80. A dentin desensitizing composition comprising: (i) the glass composition according to any one of claims 63 to 72; and (ii) an oral-compatible, waterless carrier.

81. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 80, wherein the orally compatible carrier is a mouth rinse.

82. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 80, wherein the orally compatible carrier is formulated for mixing with a mouth rinse.

83. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 80, wherein the orally compatible carrier is a viscous, orally compatible carrier.

84. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 83, wherein the viscous, orally compatible carrier has a viscosity of approximately 100 cP at 30 °C to approximately 150,000 cP at 30 °C.

85. The dentin desensitizing composition according to claim 83, wherein the viscous, orally compatible carrier is a toothpaste, dental gel, prophylactic paste, dental varnish, or adhesive agent.

86. The dentin desensitizing composition according to any one of claims 80 to 85, wherein: the dentin desensitizing composition includes a sufficient amount of the glass composition to result in approximately 1000 ppm to approximately 1500 ppm of fluoride.

87. A glass comprising: from approximately 50 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of B2O3; from approximately 5 mol% to approximately 50 mol% of one or more glass components selected from the group consisting of: U2O, Rb2O, K2O, Na2O, SrO, CaO, MgO and ZnO; 0 mol% of CuO; less than 0.1 mol% of BaO; and less than 0.1 mol% of P2O5; wherein the glass comprises less than 30 mol% of Rb2O, and wherein the glass composition is at least a quaternary system.

88. A glass comprising: fluoride, provided in approximately 5 mol% to approximately 10 mol% of CaF2, SnF2, NaF, KF or any combination thereof; and in approximately 90 mol% to approximately 95 mol% of a combination of B2O3, Na2O, MgO, and CaO, wherein the boron, magnesium, the combination of Na and any K, and the combination of Ca and any Sn in the glass composition are present in elemental ratios of approximately 20:approximately 4:approximately 6:approximately 3, respectively, 89. The glass according to claim 88 comprising: approximately 50 mol% B2O3, approximately 15 mol% Na2O, approximately 20 mol% MgO, approximately 10 mol% CaO, and approximately 5 mol% NaF, KF, CaF2, SnF2, or any combination thereof.

90. The glass according to claim 89, comprising approximately 5 mol% of CaF2.

91. The glass according to claim 88, comprising approximately 10 mol% NaF.

92. An integral glass for preparing the glass composition according to any one of claims 1 to 43 and 63 to 72.