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New gel restores dental enamel and could revolutionise tooth repair

timenotwasted

I feel like I've been reading this exact same article for the last 15 years.. I find it very difficulty to parse what is real and what is vaporware in the medical breakthroughs community.

EvanAnderson

Same feeling here. Dental seems particularly fraught (though maybe I just pay more attention to it out of interest). I know the cycle time between press releases/hype and actual application can be the better part of a decade, so I assume that's coloring my perception too.

re: dental in particular - It seems like enamel regeneration and stem-cell-based tooth replacement have both been in the news year-after-year without applications actually coming to market.

elicash

While I 100% agree with what you wrote, I'd just add that it does seem in my own dental visits over my lifetime that there have been real advancements, too. But yes, I agree, hard for non-expert to parse.

lloydatkinson

- HIV/AIDs

- Cancer

- Tooth regrowth

It feels like it won’t ever be done for some reason

ajoseps

i thought the first two have had huge improvements in the last decade?

trenchpilgrim

HIV has become a manageable disease in my lifetime. The main issue today is access to medication as I understand it.

tootie

While a cure remains elusive, HIV treatment is now extremely effective. Antiretroviral shots can keep people symptom free indefinitely.

Cancer treatment varies by type of cancer but many have dramatically improved outcomes.

foxandmouse

+ Male birth control

+ Alzheimer’s cure

+ Hair regrowth

scottlamb

+ weight loss pills

...they were persistent vaporware or scams, then suddenly they were real and everywhere. Hopefully that happens for the others too?

richwater

Wait until you read that the scientific evidence for flossing doesn't really confirm the promised benefits.

loosescrews

Any chance you would be willing to summarize the research or provide information on some relevant studies? I've always been skeptical about flossing and would like to learn more.

Defletter

tbf, it does require a technique otherwise you risk just pushing plaque underneath your gums

simonswords82

Where? Source please?

muratsu

Wait what? Please share

avalys

Is this a commercial product that has been approved by a regulator to make these claims? Amazing. Newsworthy.

Is this a press release from a university research group, as it appears to be (the site is down)? Then it's nearly meaningless.