The History of RECALDENT™ (CPP-ACP)

The School of Dental Science at the University of Melbourne in Australia has long been interested in the anticariogenic properties of milk.

In 1981 they showed that milk, milk concentrates, powders and cheeses help prevent dental caries in animals and in situ caries models, though these properties of milk were known well before this. As far back as 1946 it was reported that the anticariogenic properties of milk were due to casein, calcium and phosphate.

Further investigation by the University showed that it was a particular part of the casein protein, the casein phosphopeptides, or CPP, that was responsible for the tooth-protective activity. They showed that peptides containing the cluster sequence of amino acids -Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Glu-Glu have a remarkable ability to stabilise calcium and phosphate and keep them in a soluble, amorphous state. Normally, combining calcium and phosphate ions will result in the formation of insoluble calcium phosphate crystals. But in the presence of CPP this doesn't happen, and the calcium and phosphate remain in an ionic form that can diffuse into the tooth enamel and repair areas that have been damaged through the activity of plaque bacteria. This is the basis of preventing and reversing dental caries.

Since this discovery, the University has conducted many studies that demonstrate how the casein phosphopeptides and amorphous calcium phosphate, or CPP-ACP, work to repair dental caries. Patents have been granted on the peptides and on the CPP-ACP complex that have been licensed exclusively to Recaldent Pty Ltd, who manufactures and markets CPP-ACP under the RECALDENT™ brand around the world.