A research team from Queen Mary, University of London has won a major prize for developing degradable particles designed to repair decayed teeth.

The particles, about the same size as small holes in teeth, are designed to enter these holes and physically block and repair them. The particles are special glasses which can be incorporated into toothpaste and will dissolve in the mouth releasing calcium and phosphate that form tooth mineral. This reduces tooth pain, cuts back on the incidence of caries and repairs the teeth.

(l-r) Robert Hill, Pushkar Wadke, David Gillam and Natalia Karpukhina

Led by Professor Robert Hill, the team have won the £25,000 materials science Venture Prize from the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers. The prize aims to encourage innovative scientific entrepreneurship in the UK and provide funding to bring new materials science research into the market.

Professor Hill said: 'These new particles dissolve faster than existing ones and are also softer than tooth enamel. They have a more expanded open structure and this allows water to go into the glass structure faster and the calcium and phosphate ions to come out faster. Also, while existing particles are significantly harder and abrade away the enamel during brushing, our new particles will be softer'.

The prize money will enable the research team, which also includes Dr David Gillam, Dr Natalia Karpukhina and Dr Pushkar Wadke, to translate the laboratory research into commercial products.