Oral Composition Fluoride Incorporation Alpha-Gel Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oral compositions face challenges in effectively incorporating fluoride ions into tooth enamel due to solubility issues and decreased absorbability in the presence of saliva or biofilm, limiting their caries prevention and sensitivity reduction efficacy.
Innovation Solution
An oral composition comprising specific amounts of fluoride ion-supplying compounds, higher alcohols like cetanol and stearyl alcohol, and surfactants forming an α-gel structure, which enhances fluoride ion incorporation and retention, while restricting polyvalent metal compound content to maintain stability and prevent precipitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the concentration of fluoride ions is increased to improve incorporation into tooth enamel, then the effectiveness of caries prevention is improved, but the solubility and safety of the composition deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses higher alcohols (cetanol, stearyl alcohol) and surfactants as intermediary substances that form an α-gel structure. This gel structure acts as a carrier medium that enables effective delivery of fluoride ions to tooth enamel without requiring high concentrations of fluoride, thus maintaining both effectiveness and compositional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite system combining fluoride ion-supplying compounds with higher alcohols and surfactants in specific ratios. This composite formulation (with mass ratio A/B of 0.002-0.2 and specific surfactant content) produces an α-gel that enhances fluoride incorporation while maintaining solubility and safety, resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If water-soluble fluoride compounds are used to supply fluoride ions, then the ease of incorporation into the composition is improved, but the absorbability by teeth deteriorates in the presence of saliva or biofilm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and delivery mechanism of fluoride ions by incorporating them into an α-gel matrix formed by higher alcohols and surfactants. This parameter change in the delivery system allows water-soluble fluoride compounds to be effectively delivered through saliva and biofilm barriers, maintaining both ease of incorporation and high absorbability.
Solution Approach 2:
The α-gel structure formed by the higher alcohols and surfactants creates a porous network that facilitates the penetration and delivery of fluoride ions through the oral environment, including through saliva and biofilm layers, thereby maintaining high absorbability while using water-soluble compounds.
3Reliability
If higher alcohols and surfactants are added to enhance fluoride incorporation, then the ability to incorporate fluoride ions into teeth is improved, but the complexity of the composition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes specific parameter ranges for higher alcohols (4-30 mass%, with cetanol and stearyl alcohol comprising 85-95 mass% of the higher alcohol content) and surfactants (0.1-10 mass%, with nonionic surfactant content of 0.05-10 mass%) to achieve effective fluoride incorporation. By controlling these parameters within specific ranges, the composition achieves high effectiveness while managing complexity through standardized formulation ranges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition efficiently increases fluoride ion incorporation into tooth enamel, effectively preventing dental caries and reducing dentin hypersensitivity by maintaining appropriate viscosity and fluidity, ensuring sustained fluoride release and improved absorbability.
Implementation Method 1
higher alcohols and surfactants forming an α-gel structure, which enhances fluoride ion incorporation and retention
Implementation Method 2
fluoride ions, which accelerate crystallization of calcium ions and phosphate ions, i.e., remineralization to prevent occurrence of dental caries
Implementation Method 3
maintaining appropriate viscosity and fluidity, ensuring sustained fluoride release and improved absorbability
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to an oral composition having improved ability of incorporating fluoride ions into tooth enamel and an enhanced remineralization effect. That is, the present invention provides an oral composition comprising an ingredient (A): 0.005 mass% or more and 2 mass% or less, in terms of fluorine atoms, of one or more fluoride ion-supplying compounds selected from the group consisting of sodium fluoride, ammonium fluoride, potassium fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, and tin fluoride; an ingredient (B): 4 mass% or more and 30 mass% or less of a higher alcohol having 12 or more and 22 or less carbon atoms comprising (b1) cetanol and (b2) stearyl alcohol; an ingredient (C): 0.1 mass% or more and 10 mass% or less of a surfactant comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of (c1) a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid ester and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester and (c2) an anionic surfactant being fatty acid having 12 or more and 22 or less carbon atoms or a salt thereof; and an ingredient (D): water, wherein the content of the ingredient (c1) is a specific level or more; and the mass ratio of the content of the ingredient (A) in terms of fluorine atoms to the content of the ingredient (B), (A)/(B), and the molar amount of (E) a polyvalent metal compound other than the ingredient (A) are specific values.