Hydroxyapatite comes in many shapes and sizes. One of the
most important factors affecting how hydroxyapatite can work to remineralize
your enamel is the size of the particle. The gaps and cracks within the surface
of your teeth are very small so the size of the hydroxyapatite particles needs
to be very small to fit into the gaps to bond with the surface of the enamel. Studies
suggest that smaller particles may be better at remineralizing the enamel
surface than larger “micro” sized particles.

They are completely different and work to strengthen your
teeth in different ways. Fluoride improves the strength of the hydroxyapatite
remineralization by changing the structure of the calcium. Fluoride can’t
remineralize on its own, it needs hydroxyapatite – which generally is produced
by your body and distributed by your saliva.

Hydroxyapatite is the actual calcium mineral that is used in
the rebuilding of your enamel. It's more like taking a vitamin or adding more of
what your body is already producing. Adding a lot more hydroxyapatite to your
mouth can increase the speed and amount of remineralization by providing more
“building blocks”. Hydroxyapatite and Fluoride CAN be used together – and may
work very well together because they work in different ways that can both be
beneficial.

The Hydroxyapatite in Ollie toothpaste comes from recycled eggshells.
Eggshells make up the primary calcium source and are a great material to start with
since the calcium structure is the same as the finished product. It DOES take a
fair bit of processing to get the eggshells cleaned and processed into the finished
product which makes this ingredient fairly expensive. To read more about the process
click here.

Hydroxyapatite works in very different ways as compared to other
tooth desensitizing ingredients. Sensitivity is caused by hot and cold liquids
reaching nerves below your teeth. Typical ingredients like potassium nitrate
and stannous fluoride aim to desensitize the nerves that are below our teeth.
Hydroxyapatite fills in and remineralizes the microtubules within your teeth to
block the hot and cold liquids from reaching the nerves. In short, the
hydroxyapatite seals off your teeth so the hot and cold can’t reach your
nerves.

Your tooth enamel is approximately 95% hydroxyapatite – this
is just a way to describe the calcium crystal structure. Adding hydroxyapatite
to your mouth works to supercharge your own natural defenses by providing more
material to rebuild and strengthen your teeth. Nano-hydroxyapatite can actually
combine with and bond to the surface of your teeth. This is how hydroxyapatite
is able to fill in small gaps, cracks and cavities which have many benefits
including fewer cavities, less sensitivity, stronger teeth and a whiter tooth
appearance.

Easy answer – Yes. While there has been recent concern of
the health implications of nano-sized particles, there are no known health
risks associated with nano hydroxyapatite. While there were initial concerns
due to the particle size (really small!), in 2023 the European Commission Scientific
Commission on Consumer Safety released a report saying that nano-hydroxyapatite
is safe in toothpaste in concentrations up to 10% (find the report here)

Ollie Clean Mint has a very light mint flavor. Due to the
xylitol, it is a bit sweet. It is also a bit thicker and more foamy than most
natural toothpastes.

Hydroxyapatite has been used in Japan since the early 80’s,
but has never been used by any major American brands. This is likely because of
the cost of the ingredient and belief that fluoride alone is a suitable cavity
fighting ingredient. It is likely these two reasons that major American brands
STILL haven’t released any product containing hydroxyapatite. Luckily, there
are some smaller companies like Ollie that understand the benefits of using
ingredients like hydroxyapatite and reformulating toothpastes based on current
information and technology.

Quick answer, 10% isn’t necessarily required, but more is
better. In the last few years, many studies have been done on the effectiveness
of hydroxyapatite. These studies test particle size, shape, and concentrations.
Many of these studies – especially the ones that compare hydroxyapatite to
fluoride – use a 10% nano-hydroxyapatite formulation. This is why Ollie Clean
Mint uses 10%. There are studies that show efficacy at lower concentrations, but
we choose 10% as a benchmark standard that was used in several important
studies.

Increasing contact time is a great way to improve
remineralization with hydroxyapatite. One great trick is to use the toothpaste
like mouthwash after brushing where you can swish it around in your mouth,
spit, but then don’t rinse. If you wear retainers or night guards, go through
this process before putting your retainers on.

Reducing the amount of plaque in your mouth is a great way
to lower the acidity in your mouth and preserve your teeth. Flossing daily
is key, because this is a very important way to remove plaque colonies.

No. 😊