- Tideglusib, used to treat neurological disorders, could spell the end of fillings
- Man-made fillings can help temporarily close gaps but never restore the tooth
- But the drug helps to create a layer of protective material to help the gap regrow
- This method could also reduce the risk of infections – which fillings are prone to
Traditional fillings could become a thing of the past after a drug developed to treat Alzheimer’s patients was found to make teeth regrow.
The ‘natural repair’ approach means fillings would never fall out.
Instead, the tooth would heal itself by regrowing to fill the hole that in the past would have required a filling.
Traditional fillings are created using materials such as dental amalgam, composite and cement.
Scientists have discovered a more natural way to fill-in cavities than using filling – relying instead on an Alzheimer’s disease drug
But as well as falling out, they have other significant drawbacks. They often require replacement during a patient’s lifetime, and can be prone to infection.
During repairs to a man-made filling, a larger area of tooth has to be drilled out, and after multiple fillings the tooth will often need to be extracted.
Now researchers at King’s College London have discovered that the drug, Tideglusib, can stimulate dentine, the hard material beneath the outer enamel surface in teeth.
The drug has been tested for use in Alzheimer’s patients and for another brain disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which has just claimed the life of singer Peter Sarstedt.
Tests in mice showed that when applied directly inside tooth cavities, the drug stimulated regrowth of dentine. The filling method involves inserting a biodegradable sponge soaked with the drug in the tooth cavity.
The cavity is then covered with a cap made from a glass compound.
Over time the dentine regrows, but the glass cap has to stay on because the drug does not help enamel to regrow.
Because the drug has passed its safety tests in humans, the scientists believe it could be used on people within three to five years.
Using Tideglusib, previously used to treat neurological disorders, could now offer a natural solution to help cement gaps in teeth (stock)
Team leader Professor Paul Sharpe said: ‘The simplicity of our approach makes it ideal as a clinical dental product for the natural treatment of large cavities, by providing both pulp protection and restoring dentine.
‘In addition, using a drug that has already been tested in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease provides a real opportunity to get this dental treatment quickly into clinics.’
The scientists, whose study is published in the online journal Nature, Scientific Reports, said further research is needed.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation charity: ‘It’s an extremely interesting and novel approach which shows great promise and we will look forward to it being translated into clinical application.
‘While fillings have remained highly effective in repairing large cavities they are susceptible to wear and tear and can occasionally be in need of repair and replacement.’