Overview

• Laboratory work found keratin mixed with saliva minerals formed an enamel-like crystalline coating that continued attracting calcium and phosphate on human molars.
• The team extracted the protein from sheep’s wool and applied it as a composite to extracted teeth, with results published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.
• Researchers propose delivering the treatment as a daily toothpaste or as a professionally applied gel similar to nail polish for targeted repairs.
• Sherif Elsharkawy and Sara Gamea suggest the technology could reach the public in two to three years, contingent on further development and industry partnerships.
• They present the approach as a sustainable alternative to plastic resins with a more natural look, and say future sourcing from human hair is possible though wool is currently preferred for abundance.