Development of a fluoridated, daily-use toothpaste containing NovaMin technology for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity.

Introduction Calcium sodium phosphosilicate (trade name NovaMin) is an inorganic amorphous compound that contains only calcium, sodium, phosphate, and silica. The calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSPS) technology was invented by Professor Larry Hench at the University of Florida in the late 1960s, and found use in the development of new bone regenerative materials. The original composition proposed by Professor Hench was the “45S5” composition, i.e., 45% SiO 2 , 24.5% Na 2 O, 24.5% CaO, and 6% P 2 O 5 (in wt%). Anecdotally, this composition was selected to ensure that the Ca:P molar ratio was the same as hydroxyapatite in bone mineral. The material was subsequently adapted for dentin remineralization during the mid-1990s by Drs. Leonard Litkowski and Gary Hack (both at the University of Maryland at that time), and Dr. David Greenspan. In 2003, NovaMin Technology Inc. was formed to commercialize this novel compound. During the last 10 years, a range of professional and consumer products containing NovaMin were marketed. The first product developed by NovaMin Technology was a daily-use fluoride-free toothpaste containing 5% NovaMin (Oravive). This product was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a 510K medical device, indicated for the rapid and continual reduction of tooth sensitivity. NovaMin was subsequently formulated into over 15 products, including prophylaxis and regular toothpastes, and sold in more than 20 countries, including the USA, Canada, India, and China. In 2010, NovaMin Technology Inc. was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK). Recent GSK Oral Care research efforts have focused on the development of the first daily-use toothpaste for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity containing 5% (in wt%) NovaMin and a source of fluoride. This paper reviews the mode of action of NovaMin for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity, and discusses the development of a fluoridated daily-use toothpaste (Sensodyne Repair and Protect, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Weybridge, Surrey, UK) containing this technology. An overview of the other articles in this Special Issue, presenting technical and clinical efficacy results supporting this novel toothpaste formulation, is also presented.