Natural Tooth Repair Method

In a paper published on January 9 in Scientific Reports, scientists from the Dental Institute at King’s College London have proved a way to stimulate the stem cells in the pulp of the tooth and generate new dentine -the mineralized material that protects the tooth- in large cavities, potentially reducing the need for fillings.

The biological approach could see teeth use their natural ability to repair large cavities rather than using cements or fillings, which are prone to infections and often need replacing a number of times, Science News reported.  Small molecules used by the team to stimulate the renewal of the stem cells included Tideglusib, which has previously been used in clinical trials to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

“Effectiveness of the drug provides a real opportunity to get the dental treatment quickly into clinics,” said study lead author Prof. Paul Sharpe from King’s College.