Virtually all American adults suffer tooth decay. But there may be a way to reverse the damaging effects of plaque—and it doesn't involve flossing.
Scientists from the Dental Institute at King's College London discovered a method of generating new dentin in large cavities, reducing the need for fillings.
One of the major components of teeth, dentin sits between the enamel and soft pulp of the tooth. Despite its protective function, the naturally produced material cannot restore extensive decay, such as a hole in your tooth. Instead, dentists pack the crater with man-made cements, which can fail or lead to infection.
The good news is, the expensive (and generally uncomfortable) process of getting a filling could soon be a thing of the past. KCL researchers have developed a biological approach featuring small molecules also used to treat neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Biodegradable collagen sponges soaked in the treatment—low doses of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3) inhibitors—are inserted into a cavity. As the sponge degrades, new dentin replaces it, allowing for what the scientists call "complete, natural repair" in four to six weeks.
"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 dentin," Paul Sharpe, lead author of the study and professor at King's College London, said in a statement.
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"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," he added.
Collagen sponges are also commercially available and clinically approved, increasing the potential for broad adoption by dentists.
For more, read the King's College London research team's full report, published this week in the journal Scientific Reports.