A gel that "encourages" teeth to self-repair developed in China
Chinese researchers have developed a substance intended to "induce" the teeth to self-repair. A discovery that they believe could mark a new era in the treatment of cavities.
No more fillings? A team of researchers at Zhejiang University in China has developed a gel that can repair tooth enamel, according to a study published Friday (August 30th) in Science Advances.
This innovative product contains calcium and phosphate, building elements of natural enamel and supposed to "induce" the teeth to self-repair. After a series of conclusive tests, the researchers assured that their discovery could mark a new era in the treatment of cavities.
The gel was tested on human teeth damaged by acid. They were placed in an environment imitating the mouth. 48 hours later, researchers found the growth of a new tooth enamel.
"This is probably due to the fact that at the time of natural tooth development, the enamel that forms is covered with a disordered layer of calcium and phosphate particles – as in the gel – which promotes its growth", explains one of the researchers, quoted by New Scientist.
The new enamel did not exceed three microns thick, which is 400 times less than the thickness of the natural layer. The researchers say that by applying the gel several times, it would be possible to obtain the necessary thickness.
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