Imagine that instead of drilling and filling cavities at the dentist, a gel could be applied to the damaged tooth and it would rebuild new tooth enamel. A new product is in development to do just that!
Scientists at the School of Pharmacy, Univ. of Nottingham are developing a gel that is applied to a tooth with weakened or damaged tooth enamel, and which draws calcium from saliva to grow a new mineral layer. It's not exactly tooth enamel, but it does closely match healthy tooth enamel and so far appears to withstand the stressors that healthy teeth are exposed to (e.g., chewing, acidic foods, tooth brushing).
Stay tuned for developments!
From Science News: Goodbye, cavities? New gel could regrow tooth enamel
A newly developed dental gel may be able to rebuild damaged tooth enamel, potentially creating a new approach to preventing decay and restoring worn teeth. ...continue reading "A Gel Is Being Developed to Regrow Tooth Enamel"
More clues were revealed in a recent study about the microbes involved in the formation of tooth decay and cavities (dental caries). Scientists and dentists have long known about Streptococcus mutans involvement in cavity formation, but they found that another bacterial species can also be involved.