| abstract |
The present invention relates to methods and agents for preventing the staining of teeth caused by the nonenzymatic browning of proteins in the oral cavity. Both oral and parenteral administration ft the agents are disclosed. Suitable agents for the inhibition of nonenzymatic browning may be formulated as rinses and toothpastes, and include compounds capable of reacting with the carbonyl moiety of the early glycosylation product resulting from the initial reaction of a target protein in the nonenzymatic browning reaction. Preferred agents are those having an active nitrogen-containing substituent, as well as amino acids, their esters and amides. These preparations may further include known anti-plaque agents such as chlorhexidine. |