Scientists have apparently discovered a gel that whitens teeth and kills 94% of bacteria. When scientists tested this hydrogel on mice, they ended up with cleaner teeth than most humans. This is important, because “brushing doesn’t remove deep stains, and whitening treatments can erode the enamel, increasing the risk of cavities and, ironically, discoloration.” So in 2020, reports Freethink,
oral health bioengineers began exploring the possibility of removing plaques with iron oxide nanoparticles. One biomedical material ─ bismuth oxychloride (Bi12O17Cl2) ─ showed promise. Scientists found that they could precisely control its activation using green light instead of blue. Once activated, it could whiten teeth and destroy plaques. But unfortunately, bismuth oxychloride doesn’t stick to teeth long enough to be effective… to make the bismuth oxychloride nanoparticles adhere to teeth longer [the] solution was to add another nanoparticle. Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) has broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, is activated by green light, and forms a hydrogel when mixed with bismuth oxychloride and calcium.
The team tested the material on human teeth soaked in a mixture of coffee, tea, blueberry juice, and soy sauce for 15 days to simulate natural teeth coloration. Next, the teeth were coated in hydrogel and exposed to green light for 1 hour daily. Following treatment, the teeth got brighter over time. Additionally, the treatment caused no damage to the enamel and killed 94% of bacteria in biofilms.
In other news, scientists have come up with a treatment for alcoholism that reduces drinking by 90% among the lab monkeys it was tested on. Artificial intelligence is now developing highly-effective antibodies to fight disease. Doctors are using artificial intelligence to detect cases of breast cancer more effectively in Hungary, enabling them to remove such cancers before they can metastasize and kill women.
Robotics is fueling other life-saving innovations. Doctors recently did the first robotic liver transplant in America. Robots can fit in small spaces in people’s bodies that a surgeon can’t reach without cutting through living tissue, or doing other collateral damage.
In other news, a mutant tomato could save harvests around the world. Farmers have found they can increase crop yields by using electrical stimulation on their crops.
