# Why can't they make a "super namel" for ones teeth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 11, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102 "2008-09-11T15:16:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/1 "2008-09-11T15:16:14Z")
With chemistry being what it is today why can’t they make an enamel to aply on ones teeth to prevent that person from _ever_ having any tooth decay? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/2 "2008-09-11T15:22:13Z")
They probably can, if you’re willing to subject your mouth to high temperature vacuum vapor deposition technology. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/3 "2008-09-11T16:34:43Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > With chemistry being what it is today why can’t they make an enamel to aply on ones teeth to prevent that person from _ever_ having any tooth decay? Unless you’re willing to have your teeth pulled and reinserted it would be extremely difficult to ensure that the entire vulnerable area was covered- and recession of the gumline would render the process useless. Plus, it would taste like ass. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/4 "2008-09-11T16:38:59Z")
I’m still waiting for the nanotech slugs which will glide over our teeth while we sleep, ingesting bacteria and depositing new enamel where needed. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/5 "2008-09-11T17:15:46Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I’m still waiting for the nanotech slugs which will glide over our teeth while we sleep, ingesting bacteria and depositing new enamel where needed. Ever thought of going into marketing? Well don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/6 "2008-09-11T17:19:31Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Ever thought of going into marketing? > Well don’t. Amen. I’d rather suffer with tooth decay than know nano-slugs are crawling over me, pooping on my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/7 "2008-09-11T17:58:46Z")
Oh as if the nano-slugs that crawl over your teeth eating them are any better. I’ve been whooshed haven’t I? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/8 "2008-09-11T18:07:54Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Amen. I’d rather suffer with tooth decay than know nano-slugs are crawling over me, pooping on my teeth. They wouldn’t be pooping on them. They’d be sliming on them. That’s way better. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/9 "2008-09-11T18:21:28Z")
There was a John Varley novel, Steel Beach I think, that had tooth-cleaning nanomachines that worked while you slept. As an extra bonus, they left behind a minty residue so that morning breath was also eradicated 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/10 "2008-09-11T18:56:12Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > There was a John Varley novel, Steel Beach I think, that had tooth-cleaning nanomachines that worked while you slept. As an extra bonus, they left behind a minty residue so that morning breath was also eradicated 🙂 Yup, _Steel Beach_. Hildy casually mentions morning breath to the Central Computer, and the CC decides to solve the problem by introducing those nanobots into the water. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/11 "2008-09-11T19:15:35Z")
… I knew I stole the idea from somewhere … ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/12 "2008-09-11T19:19:53Z")
As someone who has very little enamel on some of his teeth, I am seriously wondering the same damn thing! I don’t need the whole tooth covered, just the areas very thin in enamel. Does anything like this exist? I would also accept nano-slug sliming in my mouth to fix shit while I sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/13 "2008-09-11T19:59:15Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > As someone who has very little enamel on some of his teeth, I am seriously wondering the same damn thing! I don’t need the whole tooth covered, just the areas very thin in enamel. Does anything like this exist? > > I would also accept nano-slug sliming in my mouth to fix shit while I sleep. It isn’t real enamel and it doesn’t work like nail polish but dental veneers will do what you want. They can change tooth shape and color too. The problem is that they can be very expensive if you want more than a couple of teeth covered in veneer. Given thousands of dollars, you can have most of your teeth treated that way and the full form of your frontal mouth transformed. You don’t need the enamel for those teeth after that. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/14 "2008-09-11T20:34:08Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > It isn’t real enamel and it doesn’t work like nail polish but dental veneers will do what you want. They can change tooth shape and color too. The problem is that they can be very expensive if you want more than a couple of teeth covered in veneer. Given thousands of dollars, you can have most of your teeth treated that way and the full form of your frontal mouth transformed. You don’t need the enamel for those teeth after that. My dad has those. They look nice, sure. But for me, being only 27, I’d like to keep my original teeth as long as possible. I don’t have any severe dental problems (that I know of) besides the enamel thing. Speaking of which, do those “enamel strengthening” toothpastes with “liquid calcium” or whatever even work? (I swear I’ve asked this question on the dope before, but things may have changed) ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/15 "2008-09-11T20:49:48Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > It isn’t real enamel and it doesn’t work like nail polish but dental veneers will do what you want. They can change tooth shape and color too. The problem is that they can be very expensive if you want more than a couple of teeth covered in veneer. Given thousands of dollars, you can have most of your teeth treated that way and the full form of your frontal mouth transformed. You don’t need the enamel for those teeth after that. My dad has those. They look nice, sure. But for me, being only 27, I’d like to keep my original teeth as long as possible. I don’t have any severe dental problems (that I know of) besides the enamel thing. Speaking of which, do those “enamel strengthening” toothpastes with “liquid calcium” or whatever even work? (I swear I’ve asked this question on the dope before, but things may have changed) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/16 "2008-09-11T20:50:48Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > …do those “enamel strengthening” toothpastes with “liquid calcium” or whatever even work? I don’t know, but I’d wager that the prescription enamel-strengthening ones do. Ask your dentist. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-make-a-super-namel-for-ones-teeth/463102/17 "2008-09-12T00:36:09Z")
[Sodium fluoride](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation) in water does exactly this and you can buy mouthwash with sodium fluoride.