Scientists found a way to regrow tooth enamel

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a fluoride-free gel that can regrow tooth enamel using minerals already present in saliva. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, describe a material built from proteins that imitate the ones guiding enamel formation in early childhood. Applied to a tooth much like a fluoride varnish, the gel forms a thin coating that fills microscopic cracks and attracts calcium and phosphate ions, organizing them into new crystals aligned with the original surface. Enamel is one of the few things the body cannot rebuild once it is lost, which has long been dentistry's quiet frustration. In lab tests simulating brushing, chewing and acidic foods, the regenerated enamel behaved like the real thing. "The regenerated enamel behaves just like healthy enamel," said Dr. Abshar Hasan, the study's lead author. The team has started a company, Mintech-Bio, and hopes to have a first product out next year.