"As detailed in a new paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the protein-based gel uses the human body's natural growth processes from early in life to form a durable coating and fill in small cavities in teeth. After being coated on a target tooth's surface, it extracts calcium and phosphate ions from saliva to encourage new growth of minerals. These minerals then merge with the existing tooth, effectively allowing it to regrow lost enamel."
"While the gel has yet to be tested in human mouths, it has shown promise on extracted human teeth in a lab. That's huge, since enamel can't naturally regenerate. The gel could also be used to cover dentine, the bony material beneath the enamel that can be exposed due to enamel degradation, leading to infections. "When our material is applied to demineralized or eroded enamel, or exposed dentine, the material promotes the growth of crystals in an integrated and organized manner, recovering the architecture of our natural healthy enamel," explained lead author and University of Nottingham postdoctoral fellow Abshar Hasan in a statement."
A protein-based gel forms a durable coating and fills small cavities by harnessing human developmental mineral-growth processes. When applied to a tooth surface, the gel extracts calcium and phosphate ions from saliva to stimulate new mineral growth that merges with existing enamel and enables regrowth. Laboratory experiments on extracted human teeth produced a thin, protective layer within weeks and regenerated tissue whose mechanical properties mimic healthy enamel. The material can also cover exposed dentine to reduce infection risk. Human oral testing has not yet been performed.
Read at Futurism
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