Scientists at the University of Plymouth have discovered a new set of stem cells that form skeletal tissue and contribute to the manufacture of ivory, the hard tissue that surrounds the main body of teeth. They also discovered a gene that activates stem cells, so that they can repair damage such as decay, fall or crack.
This was reported by the British Telegraph, which noted that it is not possible to repair damaged teeth except for fillings or crowns, but it is clear that the body has the ability to grow new teeth as is known in childhood after the fall of milk teeth.
Dr. Ping-Hu, who led the research, said stem cells were very important, as they could be used in the future by laboratories to regenerate tissues damaged or lost by the disease, so it is necessary to understand how they work.
| The use of human stem cells may have significant positive effects on future patients (Pixels) |
Dr. Ping explained that their work at this stage focused on laboratory models, and that more work needed to be done before they could use human stem cells.
He described what happened as a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine, which may have significant positive effects on future patients.
The number of children under the age of 18 in need of tooth removal has increased by 17% in recent years, and about half of adults do not visit a dentist regularly.
Professor Christopher Tradwin, president of the University of Plymouth's Peninsula School of Dental Medicine and co-author of the paper, said they expected the researchers to soon provide dental patients with better service and cost-effective solutions to serious dental problems, from trauma to caries.