Medical researchers have said they have found a way to regenerate teeth using a commonly used drug for Alzheimer's disease. This drug allows cavities and damaged teeth to be repaired by utilising stem cells in the core of the tooth.
The drug, tideglusib, could therefore in theory replace the requirement for fillings in cavities and result in healthier teeth into older age.
The discovery came after the team of researchers trialled the drug on mice. In order to do this the team placed a biodegradable sponge soaked in the drug on the broken teeth of mice. Amazingly, as the sponge degraded new dentine was formed and the broken teeth were repaired.
Dental stem cells, just like all stem cells, are the building blocks of life, however, in teeth they are stored in the soft innards and are usually not sufficient to allow for significant repairs in the event of damage through injury or erosion.
What is so promising about using a drug already on the market is that it has already undergone safety trials and is well tolerated by most people. What this also means is that it is far easier to move into full-scale human trials without worries about drug tolerance and other regulatory hurdles.
Professor Paul Sharpe, who led the investigation, said:
"The simplicity of our approach makes it ideal as a clinical dental product for the natural treatment of large cavities, by providing both pulp protection and restoring dentine. In addition, using a drug that has already been tested in clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease provides a real opportunity to get this dental treatment quickly into clinics."
Stem-cells are now playing a huge role in not only regenerative medicine but also in potential anti-ageing projects which seek to rejuvenate organs or even the whole human body and return it to a younger biological age.
[Based on reporting by: IFL science]
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