Gel promises to grow back decayed teeth

DailyMail reports French researchers are developing a new dental technology that may mean the end of tooth fillings, as tests reveal a gel with melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) is capable of growing back decayed teeth in just weeks. The product still needs to go through clinical trials, but if everything goes well it may be available within three to five years.

A gel that can help decayed teeth grow back in just weeks may mean an end to fillings.

The gel, which is being developed by scientists in France, works by prompting cells in teeth to start multiplying. They then form healthy new tooth tissue that gradually replaces what has been lost to decay.

Researchers say in lab studies it took just four weeks to restore teeth back to their original healthy state. The gel contains melanocyte-stimulating hormone, or MSH.

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Professor Damien Walmsley, the British Dental Association's scientific adviser, said the gel could be an interesting new development, but stressed it is unlikely to be able to repair teeth that have been extensively damaged by decay.

'There are a lot of exciting developments in this field, of which this is one,' he said. 'It looks promising, but we will have to wait for the results to come back from clinical trials and its use will be restricted to treating small areas of dental decay.'