The stem cells in our teeth can be energized to fill in chips, cracks, and cavities, researchers say, and the findings could one day possibly make dental cement obsolete.
The work has been conducted just in mice so far, but the research…highlights a way to motivate stem cells to repair tooth defects at a scale they normally can’t, with a drug that already has some safety testing behind it. It also demonstrates the potential of a type of stem cell therapy in which the cells are stimulated in place, rather than taken out, manipulated, and put back in.
“We’re mobilizing stem cells in the body and it works,” said Paul Sharpe, a researcher at King’s College London. “If it works for teeth, chances are it could work for other organs.”
…
Related on the SLP
Sharpe and other researchers around the world have been studying if and how teeth stem cells could be used to regenerate a whole tooth, possibly one day replacing dentures or implants.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Kicking stem cells into high gear could naturally repair tooth damage
