Scientists create gel that uses saliva minerals to regrow tooth enamel

Scientists have developed a new gel that could make it possible to regrow lost tooth enamel, ScienceDaily reported. The development addresses one of the biggest limitations in modern dental care, because tooth enamel cannot naturally regenerate once it is lost, unlike bones and many other human tissues. [1]

According to ScienceDaily, the new treatment functions by harnessing minerals that are naturally found in human saliva. The regenerated enamel behaves much like healthy enamel, offering a potential breakthrough to rebuild protective tooth structures. [1]

ScienceDaily reported that the gel could provide a simple treatment to repair damaged teeth, prevent decay, and reduce tooth sensitivity. Regenerative medicine focuses on replacing, engineering, or regenerating human tissues to restore normal function by stimulating the body internal repair mechanisms to heal previously irreparable tissues. [1][4]

As HEROIC BREAKING NEWS reported earlier, researchers at Stanford University previously discovered a method to regrow damaged knee cartilage by blocking an age-related protein. That treatment restored lost cartilage in older mice, prevented osteoarthritis, and enabled human cartilage from knee replacement patients to produce new joint cartilage when exposed to the inhibitor. [5]