At present’s e-newsletter is extra technical than standard. If you happen to love information, you’ll get pleasure from this deep dive—it exposes one of many greatest myths in oral well being proper now.
For individuals who want the plain-English model, right here’s a easy breakdown of what you’ll be taught:
- The “10% nano-hydroxyapatite” declare is a fantasy.
- A brand new peer-reviewed examine in contrast Fygg’s 3.1% nano-Hydroxyapatite formulation towards Boka, Risewell, Simply Components, Dr. Jen, Crest Cavity Safety, and ClinPro 5000 (a prescription-strength 5000 ppm fluoride toothpaste).
- High quality of particles—not amount—makes the distinction.
- An excessive amount of nHA clumps, reduces enamel binding, and works much less successfully.
There’s a humorous factor that occurs on the planet of well being…
Somebody misreads the science, then turns that misinterpretation right into a advertising slogan, and earlier than you recognize it, everybody’s treating it like gospel.
We’ve seen this film earlier than. Nina Teicholz’s The Massive Fats Shock is a working example: early misinterpretations of diet analysis—like blaming dietary fats for coronary heart illness—have been enshrined in official tips and amplified by advertising.
That a long time‑lengthy detour into low‑fats recommendation fueled weight problems, diabetes, and coronary heart illness. An ideal instance of how dangerous science interpretation killed lots of people.
On the earth of hydroxyapatite toothpastes, that slogan has grow to be: “It needs to be 10% nano-hydroxyapatite—or it doesn’t work.” And it’s flat out improper.
Instagram influencers parroted the ten% factor like gospel. One model constructed its entire id round that quantity. Some even implied that in case your toothpaste didn’t hit that quantity, it wasn’t doing something in any respect.
For a break up second, I second‑guessed our formulation at Fygg. I requested colleagues and critics to indicate me the research that supposedly proved the ten% declare. Time and again, the proof didn’t maintain up.
The deeper I seemed, and the extra I spoke to the biochemists and oral microbiome scientists, the extra insane the ten% declare gave the impression to be. As a result of if you happen to’ve spent sufficient time within the science—actually checked out how the oral microbiome works, how mineral particles behave within the mouth—you recognize: extra isn’t at all times higher.
In truth, an excessive amount of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) can really work towards you.
Right here’s why I’m writing about this as we speak—because of a brand-new, peer-reviewed, Fygg-funded examine, we lastly have the information to indicate precisely why that call was the proper one.
Simply printed within the Journal of Dentistry (2025), this in vitro examine examined eight main remineralizing toothpastes—together with fluoride, nano-HAP, micro-HAP, and sure, a widely known “10% nano-HAP” model.
Direct from the examine: “The superior efficacy of Fygg over Dr. Jen and Risewell is probably going attributable to its enhanced physicochemical properties, slightly than merely the focus of lively components. In distinction, relating to Boka, Fygg’s superior efficiency might primarily consequence from the upper focus of nanoXIM in its formulation.”
And it did that utilizing simply 3.1% nano-hydroxyapatite.
Much more placing: Fygg toothpaste carried out on par with prescription‑power fluoride toothpaste—the gold customary for remineralization, usually $20-27 and solely accessible with a physician’s prescription.
How can that be?
Why Extra Isn’t Higher
You may’t simply maintain including extra and count on higher outcomes. In truth, an excessive amount of nHA can result in aggregation (it gained’t dissolve so it begins clumping into massive chunks)—which decreases how effectively it disperses throughout the enamel floor, reduces bioavailability, and as proved by the examine, reduces means to reverse cavities.
“Particle dimension and formulation design seem to play a pivotal function within the therapeutic final result… The superior efficacy of Fygg was possible as a consequence of its optimized particle morphology and decrease focus of nanoXIM.” (Journal of Dentistry, 2025)
I respect that quote and that is a part of our secret sauce, however there’s extra to the formulation than that—I can go into this in additional element in a future e-newsletter, if of us have an interest. We have been on the lookout for the proper focus of nano-Hydroxyapatite in saliva, for it to be saved in saliva earlier than it’s taken up by the tooth. Clumping or “clogging” the saliva doesn’t work effectively—it’s like including an excessive amount of salt to water and a few of it doesn’t dissolve.
NanoXIM is a proprietary mix of nHA engineered at simply the proper dimension—smaller than 50nm, with a exact rod-shaped morphology—designed to imitate pure enamel.
Why the ten% Declare Is Flawed
The ten% quantity relies on a 2009 and 2011 examine from China when, again then, the scientific neighborhood had not but outlined the dimensions of “nano” and the uniformity and purity.
10% was the bottom threshold at which crude samples of nano-hydroxyapatite began to indicate a measurable impact. However expertise has moved on. Particle morphology, floor cost, supply medium—all of that issues greater than brute focus. A lot of manufacturers on the market are utilizing micro-sized particles, and the uptake of micro is just inferior to nano.
Sadly in that crude pattern have been items of nano hydroxyapatite that don’t match the present SCCS tips for security. (that’s a unique argument however what they’re doing is doping the formulation, making it much less secure, when 2 and three% works simply superb IF it’s pure and top quality).
Fygg makes use of 20% NanoXIM paste, which comprises 15.5% nHA, leading to a 3.1% complete lively nHA—and that was confirmed to be more practical than the total 10% in different pastes.
“HAP particles bigger than 1.3 μm have restricted adhesion to enamel, whereas these beneath this threshold exhibit sturdy floor binding… Typical micro-HAPs steadily comprise particles exceeding 5 µm, which present little to no efficient enamel adhesion.” (Journal of Dentistry, 2025)
After I determined I needed to make a toothpaste, it was of utmost significance to me that if I used to be convincing dad and mom to go fluoride-free, the choice labored as effectively—if not higher. That meant working with chemists, researchers, and oral microbiome specialists to search out the precise ratio that might…
- Penetrate subsurface lesions for elevated depth of remineralization
- Keep away from aggregation (clumping of nHAp particles making them much less efficient and accessible for remineralization)
- Respect the oral microbiome (the engine for remineralization)
And now, we lastly have a peer-reviewed examine to verify what chemists and scientists have identified all alongside!
It’s straightforward to consider that if one thing is nice, extra have to be higher. However there may be at all times a candy spot on the subject of metabolism and organic processes and methods—issues like pH stability, oxygen saturation within the blood, and numerous different finely tuned features. An excessive amount of and too little will be lethal in these two methods.
So, it’s not “what’s the correct amount for tooth” it’s “what’s the correct amount for saliva” in order that tooth can really seize it when wanted!
I’m proud Fygg led with science. And I’m grateful to the researchers who proved what we knew all alongside.
Right here’s to science, more healthy mouths, and fewer clumps in your toothpaste.
Dr. B
P.S. Know somebody who’s parroting the ten% fantasy? Ahead this to them — they by no means need to miss one other e-newsletter in the event that they join future emails right here.