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Home Industry News Alzheimer’s drug ‘could be used to treat dental cavities’

Alzheimer’s drug ‘could be used to treat dental cavities’

17th January 2017

Damage to teeth could be repaired more easily with the help of a drug that is already being studied for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

This is according to a new study from King's College London and the Medical Research Council, showing how the drug tideglusib, which has already been used in clinical trials for neurological disorders, can offer a new approach to treating tooth cavities.

The team found several signals that are part of the cell repair process, which stimulate tooth stem cells to start repairing damaged tissue. Using small molecules called glycogen synthase kinase inhibitors to switch on these signals, it is possible to stimulate stem cells to repair tooth damage.

Tideglusib is one of these molecules, with biodegradable collagen sponges used to deliver the drug to the tooth. The sponge degraded over time and new dentine replaced it, leading to complete and natural repair without the need for artificial fillings.

One of the key benefits of using a drug that has already been clinically trialled for Alzheimer's disease for this purpose is the prospect it offers for getting the treatment into use in this new indication as quickly as possible, as patient safety data is already available.

Professor Paul Sharpe from King's College London said: "The simplicity of our approach makes it ideal as a clinical dental product for the natural treatment of large cavities, by providing both pulp protection and restoring dentine."

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