Permanent restorations with glass-ionomer cements (GICs) show insufficient friction and wear properties. To address this issue, we propose the use of a non-toxic solid lubricant, magnesium hydrosilicate (talc), in the form of 5–60 µm lamellar microparticles as a potential anti-wear and anti-cariogenic filler of GICs. In vitro characterization of a GIC modified with 5 wt% of talc demonstrated a 50 % reduction in its tribological wear. The proposed modification also positively influenced the bioactivity of the GICs by altering their roughness and ion release profile, without affecting the response of human primary gingival epithelial and fibroblast cells to the tested material. The modified cements exhibited also enhanced antimicrobial action by reducing the viability of S. mutans and L. acidophilus cariogenic bacteria in the biofilm.