A multifunctional polymeric coating with self-adsorbed, antifouling and in situ remineralization properties for caries management

Dental caries is a biofilm-induced bacterial infectious oral disease, where the early attachment of proteins and pathogenic bacteria to tooth surfaces has been known as the main cause of biofilm formation. Typically, dental caries is commonly accompanied by mineral depletion of enamels, thus causing dental demineralization. Multifunctional materials are highly attractive candidates for treating dental caries. Herein, we successfully synthesized diblock copolymers poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(aspartic acid) (PEG-PAsp) and modified them with alendronate sodium (ALN) to serve as bioactive bifunctional coatings (PEG-PAsp-ALN) on teeth. The PEG segments are employed for inhibiting proteins and bacterial adhesion. In addition, due to the presence of both PAsp and ALN, a synergistically strong binding capacity could be achieved with the tooth surface, thus promoting rapid and thorough remineralization in situ, while maintaining excellent safety. The combination treatment can significantly suppress the biofilm formation, which is beneficial for alleviating the demineralization of enamels caused by bacteria, and further, facilitate remineralization in situ. This approach thus demonstrates the potential of the copolymer PEG-PAsp-ALN coating as a multifunctional protecting layer on the tooth surface for high-efficiency prevention and treatment of dental caries.