This breakthrough suggests that dental fillings may soon be left in the ash heap of history.

The discovery was captured in a press release copied the Ghana News Agency.

Tideglusib works by stimulating stem cells in the pulp of teeth, the source of new dentine.

[contextly_sidebar id=”APZRjkFoNBQWcKrDd3YYX4xBI6hP2qDj”]Dentine is the mineralized substance beneath tooth enamel that gets eaten away by tooth decay.

Teeth can naturally regenerate dentine without assistance, but only under certain circumstances.

The pulp must be exposed through infection (such as decay) or trauma to prompt the manufacture of dentine.

But even then, the tooth can only re-grow a very thin layer naturally-not enough to repair cavities caused by decay, which are generally deep.

Tideglusib according to the release changes this outcome because it turns off the GSK-3 enzyme, which stops dentine from forming.

In the research, the team inserted small, biodegradable sponges made of collagen soaked in Tideglusib into cavities.

The sponges triggered dentine growth and within six weeks, the damage was repaired.

The collagen structure of the sponges melted away, leaving only the intact tooth.

The release further noted that the procedure has only been used in mouse teeth.

King’s College London Dental Institute Professor and lead author Paul Sharpe had said “Using a drug that has already been tested in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease provides a real opportunity to get this dental treatment quickly into clinics.”

He added that, “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.”

The team suggested more work needed to be done on the finding.

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Source: GNA

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The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) declared an indefinite strike in July 2014 to protest the government’s decision to scrap the payment of book and research allowances to tertiary institutions.

The government has stated that it will scrap the payment of book and research allowances  and establish a national research fund instead.

The Ministry of Education has threatened to drag UTAG before the National Labour Commission (NLC) for failing to follow the laid down procedures before embarking on a strike.

Explaining the stance of UTAG regarding the book and research allowance on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, Dr. Langbon Bimi revealed that the book and research allowance demanded by the group was part of their condition of service and no one could just get up and say he or she was removing it.

He also mentioned that in their condition of service “it is stated that this book and research allowance will be reviewed from time to time”

According to him “the two are absolutely different things, the research allowance that we take as conditions of service are basic tools that we use to teach.”

“We source money from all over the world to do research. The research allowance is just GHC 500,” he added.

He also revealed that university teachers use the book and research allowance to update their knowledge and  publish their work in reputable journals for their promotion.

Polytechnic teachers have been on strike over the research and book allowance for six weeks now. Leaders of Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) say they will not return to the classroom until the monies owed them are paid.

By: Benjamin Epton Owusu/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

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UTAG declared an indefinite strike on Thursday over what they say is government’s delay to payment their book and research allowance.

The Ministry,  however insists negotiations were ongoing when the Association declared the strike.

According to the Ministry, UTAG failed to keep faith with the Ministry’s processes, hence the decision to drag it before the NLC.

But speaking on Eyewitness News, the President of UTAG, Dr. Ofori Bekoe said the Association was unfazed by the Ministry’s decision to drag UTAG to court, saying, “we are not afraid to go before the labour commission.. “

Mr. Bekoe denied the Ministry’s claims that UTAG failed to go through the laid processes in declaring the strike, adding that UTAG had “followed due process”

According to him, the Ministry has always “had a problem with UTAG embarking on a strike” even in instances when the Association had every right to do so.

He insisted UTAG officially informed the NLC before embarking on its strike. “We notified them that we were going on strike and they suggested we put our strike on hold. But we have discussed this issue without answers so we resolved to embark on a strike,”he said.

Commenting on the payment of their book and research allowance, he emphasized the need for the payment to be made since teachers lack the required resources needed to conduct research.

Speaking on the same platform, the President of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) emphasized the need for government to pay the book and research allowance since it a “working tool for teachers”

“The Book and research allowance is a working tool for teachers and it has not been paid …those allowances should be paid,” Mr. Dugra insisted.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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