Dentists could soon hang up their drills. A new peptide, embedded in a soft gel or a thin, flexible film and placed next to a cavity, encourages cells inside teeth to regenerate in about a month, according to a new study in the journal ACS Nano. This technology is the first of its kind.
The new gel or thin film could eliminate the need to fill painful cavities or drill deep into the root canal of an infected tooth.
"It's not like toothpaste," which prevent cavities, said Nadia Benkirane-Jessel, a scientist at the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale and a co-author of a recent paper. "Here we are really trying to control cavities (after they develop)."
Drilling teeth and filling them is safe and effective. Dentists fill millions of cavities each year across the United States. However, though dentists numb the tooth, many patients still rue the sound of that drill.
The new research could make a trip to the dentist's office more pleasant, said Berkirane-Jessel. Instead of a drill, a quick dab of gel or a thin film against an infected tooth could heal teeth from within.
Cavities are bacteria and pus-filled holes on or in teeth which can lead to discomfort, pain and even tooth loss. When people eat acidic foods, consume sugary snacks or simply don't maintain proper oral hygiene, bacteria begin to eat away at the protective enamel and other minerals inside teeth.
The causes of cavities are varied. But for most cavities, the treatment is the same]
The gel or thin film contains a peptide known as MSH, or melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Previous experiments, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that MSH encourages bone regeneration.
Bone and teeth are fairly similar, so the French scientists reasoned that if the MSH were applied to teeth, it should help healing as well.
To test their theory, the French scientists applied either a film or gel, both of which contained MSH, to cavity-filled mice teeth. After about one month, the cavities had disappeared, said Benkirane-Jessel.
Benkirane-Jessel cautions that the MSH-containing films or gels only treat cavities; they don't prevent them. People will still need to brush, floss and use mouthwash to help prevent cavities from forming in the first place.
Treating cavities without drilling "would have its advantages," said Hom-Lay Wang, a dentist at the University of Michigan. Cavities and* drilling can destroy the nerves and blood vessels inside a tooth, making it more brittle and likely to fracture. Regenerating a tooth could help avoid crowns after a cavity has been filled.
That said, regenerating a tooth from within would only be useful in a relatively small number of cases. Most cavities would still need to be drilled and filled.
In the meantime, patients can't slacken their oral hygiene either. Numerous clinical trials over several years will have to be completed before the MSH-containing gels or films are available to treat cavities in humans.
Wow! What exciting news! I am one of those people who always dread going to the dentist. But this discovery can sure make trips to the dentist more fun. Of course, nothing beats brushing and flossing to prevent cavities. But in the event that we do get them, at least there is this option. Root canals and drillings are not that pleasant, this is quite easier because it's just dabbing a gel in the affected tooth or teeth. It's amazing to know that peptides can do so much more than what we already know of!
This is really an informational thread! It is a rare kind of thread, but it is really interesting!! This will surely be a great help to those who are very keen when it comes to their teeth or to those who have phobia in going to the dentist. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Wow, that is some fantastic news for people like me with not the happiest of teeth. I hope they push forward with this research quickly, as I know it could benefit a huge amount of people. Especially while dentist visits can be so costly for people who absolutely must go, whether they can afford it or not.
I'd love to hear about possibilities for home-use in the meantime.
Something to cause a tooth to regenerate? I love science! This sounds amazing! This is great news for the people struggling with mouth issues. I am so prone to cavities and fear that my mouth will decay in the future. I try my best to avoid it, but sometimes it's beyond our control. This sounds like an incredible option.
This would definitely be a dream come true. I hate dentists and I hate drillings so this MSH would be perfect for me. I am definitely following up on this.
I also remember hearing something about them developing a new way of growing teeth using stem cells or something like that. That teeth have some type of stem cell or could be broken down, I know they have made eyes out of teeth to help the blind see, so might have stem cells involved. I'll have to dig around and see if I can find that article
I don't get why so many people are afraid of going to the dentist. Seriously, it will hurt more if you don't visit them. Going to the dentist means seeing in advance if there's likely of an oral problem. This can be avoided and you can save yourself from intense pain just by visiting your dentist regularly.
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I, for one, dread of going to the dentist, sadly, we all have to.
