Hydroxyapatite has become oral care’s newest hero ingredient, and for good reason. As it continues to gain popularity for adults and children alike, it’s natural to wonder.... is hydroxyapatite safe? With all the remineralizing power of fluoride (and none of the potential unwanted side effects), we assure you that hydroxyapatite is safe and effective.

Grab your favorite flavor (mint or orange vanilla?) and get excited about a safe, out-of-this-world oral care routine for the whole family!

what is hydroxyapatite?

Hydroxyapatite is a naturally occurring mineral mainly made up of phosphorus and calcium. It already exists in your body, forming the foundations of your bones and teeth. In fact, hydroxyapatite makes up about 65–70% of healthy bones and 95-97% of healthy enamel.

When we talk about hydroxyapatite in the context of oral care, you’ll often hear us refer to it as nano-hydroxyapatite. The version of hydroxyapatite you’ll find in your toothpaste is biomimetic, meaning it mimics the makeup and function of the hydroxyapatite inside your body.

Nano-hydroxyapatite is simply teeny tiny particles of regular hydroxyapatite. We infuse these tiny particles into our oral care products for effective enamel remineralization. The nano-particles effortlessly bind to your enamel, penetrating the surface to fill any holes, scratches, or other imperfections to reveal stronger teeth that are more protected against bacteria, plaque, gum disease, sensitivity, and tooth decay progression.

Because hydroxyapatite already exists in your teeth, it’s an ideal ingredient when it comes to enamel remineralization. When it enters your oral microbiome, it feels at home, and it knows exactly what to do! So, what is hydroxyapatite? It’s an oral care superhero!

is hydroxyapatite safe?

Not only is hydroxyapatite effective, it’s extremely safe! Because it already exists in your body, there’s absolutely no risk of over-ingestion (this is not the case for fluoride, which we’ll cover in the next section). It’s biomimetic, biocompatible, and non-toxic, and if that sounds like a bunch of jargon, we understand. Let’s take a closer look at what these words mean.

• biomimetic: as mentioned above, this just means that the nano-hydroxyapatite in your toothpaste mimics the material naturally found in your teeth and bones.
• biocompatible: this means that hydroxyapatite will function without any unplanned side effects, and it will not cause any harm when it comes in contact with your body.
• non-toxic: similar to biocompatible, non-toxic means hydroxyapatite does not contain any harmful chemicals, and it will not pose any danger or unwanted symptoms.

So, is hydroxyapatite safe? Absolutely, it’s safe for adults, pregnant women, and children who haven’t yet mastered the art of tooth brushing. Hydroxyapatite brings you 100% benefits and 0% harm. What’s not to love?

hydroxyapatite vs fluoride

Now, we’ve covered why hydroxyapatite is a safe choice for kids and adults, but how does that compare to the long-time oral care superstar: fluoride? First things first, let's peek at the history of these two ingredients.

• Fluoride gained popularity in 1945 when a city in Michigan began adding fluoride to its drinking water in an effort to reduce tooth decay...and it worked! Ever since then, it’s been the go-to ingredient for remineralization, and the main ticket for an ADA stamp of approval.
• A few decades later in 1970, NASA began to use hydroxyapatite as a supplement for their astronauts. After returning from low-gravity environments, hydroxyapatite supplementation helped astronauts successfully strengthen their teeth and bones. Shortly after that, hydroxyapatite found its way into commercial toothpaste. (And it’s remained the gold standard for oral care in Japan ever since.)

Although fluoride has stolen the oral care spotlight in the US, recent research proves that it’s just as effective as (if not more effective than) fluoride at remineralizing your enamel.

• This 2019 study compared hydroxyapatite toothpaste with two fluoride toothpastes, concluding that hydroxyapatite is a safe, effective substitute.
• This 2019 study concluded hydroxyapatite oral care products might be safer for kids prone to dental caries.
• This 2020 study reveals that hydroxyapatite remineralizes dental caries as effectively as fluoride.
• This 2022 study confirms that hydroxyapatite products are a safe alternative to fluoride for young children at risk of fluorosis (which we’ll discuss in a moment).

And that’s just a few of the many studies! When it comes to hydroxyapatite vs fluoride, the main difference is that fluoride is not considered biocompatible, meaning it can be toxic and harmful when ingested in large amounts. When you ingest too much fluoride through water, food, and oral care products, it can lead to fluorosis.

what is fluorosis?

Dental fluorosis is an unwanted side effect that occurs when you consume too much fluoride, causing white and/or brown speckles to form on your teeth. It typically occurs when children over-consume fluoride in their early years when their permanent teeth are still developing. While the condition is not harmful to your overall health, it’s certainly not desirable.

Beyond dental fluorosis, ongoing research suggests that serious fluoride toxicity can cause long-term harm, and the thought of that alone is enough for us to turn to hydroxyapatite instead. With hydroxyapatite, you don’t have to worry about fluoride toxicity for you or your little ones! Your kids are free to accidentally swallow hydroxyapatite without worry, and we think that peace of mind is well worth challenging the oral care norms.

best hydroxyapatite toothpaste

At Davids, we have two delicious, effective hydroxyapatite toothpaste options for the whole family.

For mint lovers, our original sensitive+whitening nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste is the perfect option. It’s formulated with premium mint oils for the perfect invigorating flavor and all of the effective remineralization powers of our nano-hydroxyapatite particles. In fact, our third-party lab testing showed it outperformed leading sensitive toothpastes, remineralizing and repairing enamel to reduce sensitivity more effectively than Apagard Premio, Boka, Colgate Sensitive, Risewell, Sensodyne Pronamel, and Toms Sensitive.

Our NEW orange vanilla hydroxyapatite toothpaste for kids + adults is perfect for those looking for a juicy, mouthwatering alternative to mint. It’s made with the same nano-hydroxyapatite particles (and other effective ingredients) as the option above, we just replaced our premium mint oils with naturally sourced fruit flavors.

So whether you’re craving cool mint or fruity orange vanilla, get the whole family brushing with these deliciously effective hydroxyapatite toothpaste options. And feel peace of mind knowing each formula nurtures strong, healthy teeth in the safest way.

buy now.