Theobromine: A Non-Invasive Treatment Approach of Demineralized Tooth Structure

Background: Theobromine is a natural alkaloid of cocoa beans of plant origin. Theobromine found in chocolate and a number of other foods, such as tea leaves. Aims: Give summary of theobromine effects on tooth structure, describe the studies looking into how they affect the surfaces of enamel and dentin, and point out areas that need more research. Data: By using Pub Med, Google Scholar, and Research Gate databases. Keywords: "Theobromine", "cocoa extract", and "remineralization". Study selection: 48 papers were selected between 1983 to December 2023. Conclusions: Theobromine is a nontoxic, organic, and an effective agent on tooth structure that could be right for daily use. Theobromine attracts calcium and phosphorus from saliva and promotes the growth of four times larger unit hydroxyapatite crystals. Theobromine can increase the micro-hardness of surface of enamel. It improved the protection of tooth enamel against acid. The use of theobromine containing toothpaste may cause occlusion of dentinal tubules and their capacity for treatment of dentin hypersensitivity.