Posted By: Amanda Banks, RDH
What is MI Paste™?
MI Paste™ is a preventive topical treatment which contains Recaldent™. Recaldent™ is the given name for Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP). Can you see why they gave it a better and shorter name? Recaldent™ offers a system for releasing the bioavailable calcium, phosphate, and fluoride in the saliva. It does this by using a casein (milk-based) protein that stabilizes calcium and phosphate in order to provide greater immediate and delayed availability of fluoride, calcium, and phosphate to be absorbed into the teeth. The paste is water-based, sugar free, and is applied directly to the tooth surface or oral cavity. MI Paste™ does not contain fluoride, but MI Paste Plus™ does.
SPECIAL NOTE: MI Paste™ is safe for those with lactose intolerance, but is not recommended for a person with an actual allergy to milk.
Fun Fact: Recaldent™ is also found in the chewing gum Trident Xtra Care!
What is MI Paste™ used for?
There are several instances in which we might recommend MI Paste™. They tend to be many of the same reasons we would recommend fluoride, and include the following.
- Orthodontics – for patients with braces, it can help prevent enamel lesions and help with plaque adherence
- Sensitivity – patients with root exposure can get sensitivity relief, and patients who would normally be too sensitive to use tooth whitening products will be able to do so by using MI Paste™ in conjunction
- Active lesions – patients with a higher risk for decay, present active decay, or acid erosion such as from acid reflux can benefit from MI Paste™ much in the same way they can benefit from fluoride
- Dry mouth – patients with dry mouth are at a higher risk of developing cavities, and thus we recommend they have something to help counteract this
- Patients who will not use fluoride – some people do not want fluoride (which is a discussion for another day), and those patients will often accept MI Paste™
What does it do?
- MI Paste™ helps buffer the acids in your mouth which are produced by plaque and cavity causing bacteria. After you eat, your mouth will have a more acidic pH, and MI Paste™ can return your mouth to a neutral pH within 3-5 minutes. In this way, it can help prevent the acid from breaking down your enamel.
- In addition to preventing the breakdown of enamel through buffering acid, it can also help rebuild enamel and reverse active lesions from orthodontics. If you are in braces, the last thing you want is to end up with straight teeth with little white spots on them.
- MI Paste™ is considered one of the best ways to relieve sensitivity, giving long-lasting relief compared to other products. For this reason, we will sometimes recommend it after a deep cleaning procedure which can make teeth more sensitive due to the removal of tartar.
- We already mentioned that MI Paste™ can be good in conjunction with whitening treatment in order to prevent sensitivity. It can also help retain the lighter shade of the tooth after whitening and add to the glossy look of the enamel.
How is it applied?
Applying MI Paste™ is very simply. After brushing your teeth, you take a pea-sized amount on your finger, and apply it to the outside surfaces of your teeth, using your tongue afterwards to help spread it around. MI Paste™ is safe to swallow, so don’t worry about that. You can just leave it on until it naturally dissipates. If you are using it in conjunction with whitening and have a bleaching tray, you can also put it in the bleaching tray and wear it that way. Just leave the tray in for 3-5 minutes and then spit out the excess.
I hope this post taught you something new! Please remember, if you have any concerns about your mouth, please talk to us about it. There may be a product out there, like this one, which can help! If you have any questions, please call (479) 217-3178 or request an appointment online.