DailyDirt: Modern Dentistry

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Not too many people enjoy going to the dentist -- which probably feeds into the urban legend that dentists have the highest suicide rates. But there may be a few dental developments that'll make going to the dentist a bit less scary. Being fastidious about flossing is a virtue, but for the rest of us who aren't so diligent, technology might help us out. Here are a few stories that might lead to better dental health.
  • Disrupting the enzyme responsible for plaque sticking to teeth could help eliminate cavities. So far, though, various inhibitors for glucansucrase have also blocked amylase in saliva -- which helps to digest starch. But maybe some folks might like not being able to digest starch? [url]
  • Stem cells from wisdom teeth could be useful to grow replacement teeth. So maybe kids in the future will be preserving their teeth instead of dealing with the tooth fairy. [url]
  • With some nifty freezing equipment, you could preserve your wisdom teeth for a couple decades. It's sorta like Futurama -- but only one organ at a time. [url]
  • Hide this

    Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

    Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

    While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

    –The Techdirt Team

    Filed Under: cavities, dentist, glucansucrase, stem cells, teeth


    Reader Comments

    Subscribe: RSS

    View by: Time | Thread



    Follow Techdirt
    Essential Reading
    Techdirt Deals
    Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
    Techdirt Insider Discord

    The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

    Loading...
    Recent Stories

    This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
    Close

    Email This

    This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.