New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Immune cells may play a role in causing cavities

Michael Irving April 14, 2019

We owe our lives to our immune systems – without it, even the most minor of sniffles could be fatal. But the immune system makes mistakes too. Now, researchers at the University of Toronto have found that cavities might also be collateral damage from an overzealous immune system.

A new study suggests that oral immune cells play a part in causing cavities

Science Audio available

The unusual bacterial link between colorectal cancer and tooth decay

Rich Haridy March 4, 2019

A common oral bacteria has been found to release a molecule that accelerates the growth of colorectal cancers. The impressive new research could lead to new cancer treatments as well as offer a valuable biomarker to help doctors identify potentially aggressive cancers.

A common oral bacteria has been found to release a molecule that enhances the growth of ...

Health & Wellbeing

New tooth tech shows promise for stronger, longer-lived fillings

Ben Coxworth March 4, 2019

When you get a cavity filled, you may just assume that the fix will last indefinitely. In fact, though, fillings do have a limited lifespan. That said, a new dental material – and a new adhesive to keep it inside the tooth – could allow fillings to last longer than ever before.

A slice of tooth is prepared for testing with the new filling material and adhesive

Medical Audio available

Human drug trials explore strange link between gum disease bacteria and Alzheimers

Rich Haridy January 23, 2019

A provocative new study is suggesting the same bacteria responsible for gum disease is also the primary pathogenic cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Not only that, but a new drug developed to inhibit these bacterial toxins and treat Alzheimer’s is moving into major human clinical trials later this year.

There is a hypothesis that the bacteria that causes gum disease can travel into the brain ...

Health & Wellbeing

New glue for braces may mean no more white blotches

Ben Coxworth October 22, 2018

Braces may straighten out people's smiles, but unfortunately they also often cause teeth to decay, resulting in off-putting white marks. There's hope, however, as an experimental new bonding glue for braces has been shown to prevent that decay.

White spot lesions on the teeth of a person who previously wore braces

Medical

Stem cells from baby teeth patch up dental injuries in clinical trial

Michael Irving September 11, 2018

Teeth can’t naturally repair themselves – so when a kid injures a permanent tooth at a young age, they’re stuck with that for life. But a new clinical trial has shown promising results in using dental stem cells derived from a patient’s baby teeth to bring a “dead” tooth back to life.

A new clinical trial has shown that stem cells taken from baby teeth can be used ...

Medical Audio available

Injectable hydrogel could keep root canals from killing teeth

Ben Coxworth August 22, 2018

When a root canal is performed, the infected dental pulp inside a tooth is replaced with tiny rubber rods – unfortunately this leaves the tooth dead, and thus likely to become infected again. A new procedure, however, may be able to keep such teeth alive and strong.

Traditional root canals, such as this one, leave teeth without any living soft tissue inside

Health & Wellbeing

Titanium dioxide-based whitening treatments may be easier on the teeth

Ben Coxworth July 19, 2018

Regardless of what you may think of the practise of teeth-whitening, it appears to not just be a passing fad – and it can harm peoples' teeth. Scientists from China's Nanchang University are out to make it safer, with an experimental new technique.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have been shown to whiten teeth less harmfully than commonly-used hydrogen peroxide gel

Pets

Bristly doggy toothbrush lets your hound do the grunt work

Nick Lavars July 10, 2018

The American Veterinary Medical Association says that brushing a dog's teeth regularly is the best way to maintain their oral health, and Bristly is a new tool designed to let them do the grunt work.

The Bristly toothbrush for dogs is essentially a natural rubber toy said to offer a meaty ...

Medical

New MRIs are so strong, they could cause mercury to leak from your teeth

Matt Kennedy July 4, 2018

The fact mercury makes up roughly 50 percent of the content of dental amalgam is a contentious subject for many, and a new study that found MRIs can release the toxic heavy metal from fillings is sure to give those in the anti-amalgam camp even more to chew on.

A new study has found that new ultra-high-strength MRIs can cause toxic mercury to leak from ...