French scientists are working on a gel that could repair minor cavities by helping teeth grow back in just a few weeks, saving many people from the pain and frightening drills used in filling procedures.
Potentially, this gel could improve the lives of millions worldwide who suffer from dental phobia, an unreasonable (and prevalent) fear of the dentist that causes people to put off routine care at nearly any cost - turning tiny problems into serious ones.
Around 10 to 15 percent of Americans suffer from dental phobia: that’s 30 to 40 million people. And it’s worse in other countries. For instance, in Britain, whose people are often caricatured with grotesque teeth (think Austin Powers), a government survey revealed that 35 percent of Brits, those who don’t regularly see the dentist, avoid it out of fear.
The tooth-rebuilding agent in the gel is melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), which governs skin pigment and, as new studies show, bone regeneration in the body. In application, the gel is a painless solution to tooth decay, making it preferable to the old drill and fill procedure.
In three to five years, scientists think the gel will be ready for commercial use.
