British scientists have found that the drug called Tideglusib, which is used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, can encourage natural tooth regeneration by triggering the regrowth of dentin.
Dentin is the inner layer of the tooth that lies beneath the enamel. This great news could save us the unpleasant and frequent visits to the dentist!
Taking medicine could be an ideal approach for the treatment of the dental cavity because this way the dentin regenerates naturally, and we avoid invasive treatment. The mechanism of self-repair is something that our body naturally has; we just need to find the right approach to stimulate it.
At the same time, the pulp would be protected, said Professor Paul Sharpe, who led the study at the King’s College in London.
“I think that is a mitigating circumstance the fact that the drug has already passed clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease. This fact is making it the ideal solution for the application and can easily be applied in the treatment of tooth cavity” says Professor Sharpe.
How the Tooth Regeneration Works
If a tooth is broken, damaged, or affected by inflammation, soft pulp remains exposed and therefore vulnerable to a deeper infection. The cells in the pulp under the dentin recreate the deposition amount of new dentin and increase the deposition of minerals in the ducts which are narrow and close.
The tooth is thus naturally defended against cavity progression. This natural protection is not always successful, and it depends on the performance of the immune system.
But British researchers have determined that the mechanism of natural tooth regeneration could be greatly encouraged by taking Tideglusib. An important fact is that this drug has been clinically tested in the treatment of various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
It works in a way that stimulates the stem cells already present in the pulp, which then start the creation of a new layer of dentin.
With the help of a biodegradable sponge, made of collagen, the tooth is coated with the mixture of Tideglusib and a small dosage of the protein molecule glycogen. After the complete decomposition of the sponge, the dentin regenerates entirely.
The drug might be able to reduce the need for dental fillings and could be available in the market within three years, according to British researchers.
Dentin can be hypersensitive!
Some of the reasons for this include the improper brushing, periodontal disease, erosion, abrasion, plaque, multiple curettage teeth, surgical procedures, the aging process, but also non-inflammatory gum recession.
If the dentin is damaged at a fraction of the tooth, it is not necessarily a problem, but when the damage becomes too great, the dentist must place a dental restoration to protect the tooth from further decay. The cavity accelerates after passing through the enamel, and the process of destroying the dentin is quite faster.
Also, in the deeper layers of hard dental tissue, the natural remineralization agent found in our saliva cannot act. This natural healing process takes place only on the surface of the teeth.
By penetrating into dentin, the bacteria settle in dentinal tubules, and their toxins stimulate the nerve endings at the ends of the ducts to the pulp. The pain is usually excessive and needs to be treated immediately. So, the cavity process causes pain only when it penetrates into the dentin.
Sometimes you will not even know that you have a cavity before it reaches the dentin or the pulp. This great and encouraging news is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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This is great. It’s a shame that currently getting your own pulp preserved (wisdom teeth etc) for stem cell harvesting is still costing 20 grand :/
Wait..
So collecting all my pubic hair and spit in little jars was a waste of time?
Peter Francis I think that was a paternity test
Haha
I hope the dental scientist will very soon come up with a cure for artificial tooth fillings by getting stem cells in our teeth to regrow both dentin and even enamel to fill in both old and new cavities. What was once considered impossible can soon be considered possible.
Hello, I just discovered this article. Does anyone know when this would be available for use? I hate cavity fillings I have three that cause me chronic pain.