ETW prevention and protection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Erosive tooth wear prevention, protection and restoration
IRAS ID
331785
Contact name
Saoirse O'Toole
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Erosive tooth wear is the destruction of tooth structure caused by a combination of acids and mechanical damage. Early identification, prevention and management of tooth wear will help avoid the need for extensive dental treatment in later life. To date, the are no specific preventive regimes to stop erosive tooth wear or prevent the teeth from further damage. The closest preventive interventions are based on dental decay, such as fluoride and dietary control. This research is designated to improve our fundamental understanding of the processes involved in erosive tooth wear and develop the understanding and principles that can be used to prevent its progression. We aim to approach patients who scheduled for tooth extraction for clinical reasons unconnected to the study, (e.g. wisdom tooth removal, removal of teeth for braces (orthodontic treatment) or removal of teeth due to gum disease) and get consent to collect them after they have been extracted. Once collected, instead of going into clinical waste bins, the teeth are collected by the research team, disinfected and used to test different ways of preventing against tooth wear. All tooth samples will be disposed of at the end of the study according to the human tissue act.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/EE/0020
Date of REC Opinion
13 Feb 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion