| abstract |
Products and methods are provided for the remineralization of lesions formed in the subsurfaces of teeth and/or mineralization of tubules in exposed dentin of teeth, wherein the products generally contain at least one water-soluble calcium salt, at least one divalent metal salt other than calcium salt, at least one water-soluble phosphate salt, and, optionally, at least one water-soluble fluoride salt. The water-soluble salts are then mixed to form an aqueous mixed solution having a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0. Cations released by the divalent metal salt stabilize the aqueous solution such that phosphate and calcium ions released by the salts do not react to any large extent until the product is introduced into the oral cavity and, upon introduction into the oral cavity, the ions do not rapidly precipitate. This gives the cations and anions sufficient time to diffuse through the tooth surface to the lesion(s) and/or tubules where the ions form a precipitate, thereby remineralizing the lesion(s) and/or mineralizing the tubule(s). |