New medicine for teeth - 31st July 2023

A team of scientists in Japan have created a special medicine to grow new teeth. They want to help children who are born with problems that stop teeth growing. The team will test the medicine on people in 2024.

The team started by working with a protein called USAG-1, which stops teeth from growing. They thought that if they blocked this protein, new teeth would grow. Team leader Katsu Takahashi is sure that it could work.

Takahashi wants to help children who have a hard time eating, talking, and swallowing because of their teeth problems. He hopes that this medicine will make their lives better.

The scientists tried this medicine on animals with missing teeth. After they gave them the medicine, they grew new teeth where they were missing. If the tests on people go well, the medicine will first help children between 2 and 6 years old who have the same problem.

Usually, we grow two sets of teeth – baby teeth and adult teeth. Takahashi says we used to grow a third set. This is why some people grow extra teeth.

Now, if you have missing teeth, you need to get false teeth or implants. But maybe in the future, people will have another choice thanks to Takahashi's research.