The world's first human trial of a drug that can regenerate teeth will begin in a few months, less than a year on from news of its success in animals. This paves the way for the medicine to be commercially available as early as 2030.
  • southsamurai@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    283·
    7 months ago

    I do wish that media coverage would stop calling it a regrowth drug. It might get there eventually, but that’s not what it is, and it causes issues with people misunderstanding medical science.

    • bobs_monkey@lemm.eeEnglish
      28·
      7 months ago

      The medicine itself deactivates the uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 (USAG-1) protein, which suppresses tooth growth. As we reported in 2023, blocking USAG-1’s interaction with other proteins encourages bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, which triggers new bone to generate. In the ferret study, the drug resulted in the growth of a new tooth (fourth from left), and it also strengthened bone in the existing set. It resulted in new teeth emerging in the mouths of mice and ferrets, species that share close to the same USAG-1 properties as humans.

      Am I missing something? It seems like it prompts the body to actually grow new teeth, though I’ll admit I am way out of my wheelhouse here.

      • southsamurai@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        10·
        7 months ago

        It’s more about the extremely early stages of things. It will be years before it gets to the point it’s being used on people that have lost teeth. Right now, it’s for people only with congenital lack of teeth.

        I’m not saying the drug isn’t going there eventually, it likely will. But it’s not going to be even tested for other uses for something like two more years (iirc, I’m pulling this from memory over the last year or so that the drug has been reported on) from now, and even that assumes the current testing is successful.

        It’s an incredibly promising thing that will help a lot of people if it’s safe and effective, not just the current targeted population.

        I’m actually hyped for this to work out. My working life was partially with geriatric patients. The quality of life loss that goes along with tooth loss is horrible. Then there’s the loss of bone density in the jaw after losing the teeth.

        My peeve is with the reporting putting the cart before the horse. Bad medical reporting causes problems even more than bad science reporting in general. Report what is, especially in headlines, then cover what might be as a secondary note. Right now, regrowing teeth is not proven capability of the drug for humans. The testing for growing teeth where they’ve never been hasn’t even finished yet.

    • Dozzi92@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      7 months ago

      What is it? I guess the distinction is between regrowth and regeneration. I’ll admit regrowth sounded great, because my four front teeth have been shaved down to posts for veneers because of an unfortunate incident with a hockey puck. Sounds like this isn’t for me.

      • southsamurai@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        3·
        7 months ago

        It might be some day.

        But right now, it’s being tested on people that have never had teeth, or at least not a full set.

  • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️@yiffit.netEnglish
    17·
    7 months ago

    “It appears the drug may be too effective. The test patients have had to start chewing on things to keep their teeth from growing through their own skull.”

    “Bob, we’re still testing it on mice…”

  • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    17·
    7 months ago

    I have been looking forward to this for 2 decades.

    Every dentist I’ve ever been to has told me that they didn’t know when research would be progressing on actual regrowth.

    Finally, we’re in the maybe soon stage.

    Hope the trials go well.

          • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            4·
            7 months ago

            I wrote this to someone else, but after brushing and flossing three times a day or more for years with zero progress in avoiding new cavities every few months, I finally tried an electric toothbrush at the behest of a dentist I trusted and I have had basically no cavities and no root canals or major work done since switching to the electric toothbrush years ago now

            It was like night and day how rapidly and comprehensively my oral health improved after beginning to use the electric toothbrush.

            And I’ve used a bunch of different ones at this point, the brand doesn’t matter, get whatever one is on sale for 50 bucks with some extra brush heads.

            It’s the extra revolutions, it’s literally like 10 extra brushes for every second you’re brushing your teeth.

        • MystikIncarnate@lemmy.caEnglish
          1·
          7 months ago

          I’m right there with you. After several root canals and a couple of extractions, all of that before 40… I could use some new chompers.

          Right now, it’s only a matter of time until I need man-made mouth bones, this would be vastly preferable.

          • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            2·
            7 months ago

            My whole family is rife with robot chompers, I am ready to cultivate some dentin.

            May the winds of fortune be with us and behind the sails of dental innovation.

            • MystikIncarnate@lemmy.caEnglish
              1·
              7 months ago

              May your cultivated dentin be strong and plentiful.

              As a side note, I used to have really bad oral hygiene, which is what led me to where I am now. I have learned my lessons, and done what I can to appease the Dental Care professionals… So far it seems to be working… But I don’t have the many thousands of dollars to burn on getting crowns/implants/whatever I need to complete the illusion of me having all my mouth bones.

              So I swear, if I get a new set, they will be cared for with the utmost of diligence.

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                2·
                7 months ago

                Electric toothbrushes changed my life, no joke.

                Until I got an electric toothbrush, I could brush three times a day and floss and still develop new cavities.

                Since getting my first electric toothbrush years ago, I have developed almost zero new cavities.

                So I guess I’m just terrible at brushing, but boy are electric toothbrushes worth it.

  • weariedfae@lemmy.worldEnglish
    171·
    7 months ago

    Trials are set to include only adult males at first, then children at later rounds. That’s not ideal.

    I’m super pumped about the prospect of regrowing teeth though!

    • Chee_Koala@lemmy.worldEnglish
      221·
      7 months ago

      Often times people assigned female at birth are excluded from these kinds of medical trials because the female cycle can affect the measurements so much, which can distort the outcome. Still sucks but there’s at least medical dispensation to discriminate.

      Source: I was excluded from some paid medical test on some grounds and I had a conversation about reasons for exclusions with the people that were rejecting my application :-)

    • BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      7 months ago

      Last I heard about this drug, it was focused on people who were missing teeth from birth / due to congenital defects, may work still but not yet applicable to regrowing teeth unfortunately.

  • NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.worldEnglish
    183·
    7 months ago

    Side effects include:

    • mutated anus

    • disappearing retinas

    • sudden bone splintering

    • genital duplication

    • having too many god damned teeth

          • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            31·
            7 months ago

            Doesn’t everyone already have rudementary tastebuds in their anus? Isn’t that how spicy food hurts both upon entering and departing?

            • cjoll4@lemmy.worldEnglish
              7·
              7 months ago

              “Spicy” isn’t a taste, it’s just a mildly painful chemical irritation. Spicy substances can hurt many sensitive body parts, including the mouth, nose, eyes, anus, and genitals. It’s nothing to do with tastebuds, more to do with thin unprotected membranes in your body being sensitive to chemicals such as capsaicin or allyl isothiocyanate.

  • z00s@lemmy.worldEnglish
    151·
    7 months ago

    Ok but how will they ensure the right teeth get regrown? Imagine waking up to find that your impacted wisdom teeth that you had removed a decade ago had come back

  • p5yk0t1km1r4ge@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    7 months ago

    [2026]

    The dark sky fractures with a thunderous might. Chris and Jane melt into the darkness and slink behind an abandoned cafe. They hear nothing but distant clicking beneath each thunderous bellow ahead. Jane sobs. Chris gives her a warm embrace. He speaks with a vague whisper, “We will be OK, honey. Let’s just stick to the plan.” Against her will, she let’s out a slightly louder sob, then gasps at what she just did. The chattering stops. Her heart pounds. Lightning strikes, and they see it: the abomination had no visible face, just teeth. Decayed teeth against rotting skin. It faces their direction before letting out a terrifying hiss as it dashes towards them, its head split open like a Venus fly trap, revealing a terrifying set of venomous fangs. Chris forcefully grabs her arm, and they run in a panic as several more abominations begin to chase after them. One foot in front of the other. Scan for a clear path. Watch out for obstacles. Find somewhere out of sight, and hide. Be as quiet as possible. Just like the training manual said. Chris desperately looks ahead as his breathing turns shallow; then, his stomach sinks as they come to a chain link fence overlooking a sea of these monsters choking the streets. They were trapped on both sides, and he had to think fast. He spots an open door, and they run for it. He slams it shut, and they begin looking for a hiding place. It appeared to be a break room of sorts; they began making their way past dozens of upturned tables and chairs, finding purchase in a small janitorial closet. “It’s going to be alright, sweetheart. Remember what the CDC said, we need to lie low and wait. They only respond to noise.” She didn’t respond. Quietly, they sit, waiting to be passed over. Strange, erratic breathing fills the closet, and Chris whispers. “Jane, are you okay?” chattering. In a panic, he turns and sees that her face is now deformed with hundreds of teeth. Her head splits open, and with a horrific roar, she lunges at him, and things go black.