\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nResearchers at King\u2019s College London found that the drug Tideglusib stimulates the stem cells contained in the pulp of teeth so that they generate new dentine \u2013 the mineralised material under the enamel.
\nTeeth already have the capability of regenerating dentine if the pulp inside the tooth becomes exposed through a trauma or infection, but can only naturally make a very thin layer, and not enough to fill the deep cavities caused by tooth decay.
\nBut Tideglusib switches off an enzyme called GSK-3 which prevents dentine from carrying on forming.
\nScientists showed it is possible to soak a small biodegradable sponge with the drug and insert it into a cavity, where it triggers the growth of dentine and repairs the damage within six weeks.
\nThe tiny sponges are made out of collagen so they melt away over time, leaving only the repaired tooth.
\nThat is by far the coolest thing I\u2019ve heard this year.
\n\u2018Okay so guys we\u2019re still working on that whole alzheimer\u2019s thing, but along the way we kind of accidentally regrew everybody\u2019s teeth.\u2019
\nFR though a lot of modern medicine creations are things we accidentally discovered, like Viagra was originally for something else (can\u2019t remember what) but the side effects were prominent enough that it became the sexy drug.
\nYes yes yes
\nThe people who created the pill were originally trying to make a drug that *increased* fertility.
\nAnd Imodium was being developed as a painkiller, since it\u2019s an opiate derivative. But at safe doses it doesn\u2019t cross the blood-brain barrier enough to treat pain or get you high or relax you or do anything at all up there. It does give you constipation like other opiates. So it was a winner after all; instead of an analgesic, it\u2019s an anti-diarrheal, and works pretty well for that.
\n
Oh man I remember the ad wars of the \u201880s-\u201890s, when Imodium AD came out and antidiarrheals (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate) had to compete, with ads that were like \u201cwell no use pretending this isn\u2019t about diarrhea, let\u2019s lean into it\u201d
What brand ran the ad campaign where some black guy was trying to euphemise the issue and then halfway thru his fat loud wife (also black, this was a national campaign in the early \u201890s) would interrupt to be like YOU\u2019RE TALKING ABOUT DIARRHEA
I wonder if one product won those ad wars or if the American diet just shifted away from so much fried buttery meat and cheese and cream
"}