Free Republic

People with missing teeth may be able to grow new ones, say Japanese dentists testing a pioneering drug they hope will offer an alternative to dentures and implants. Unlike reptiles and fish, which usually replace their fangs on a regular basis, it is widely accepted that humans and most other mammals only grow two sets of teeth. But hidden underneath our gums are the dormant buds of a third generation, according to Katsu Takahashi, head of oral surgery at the Medical Research Institute Kitano Hospital in Osaka. His team launched clinical trials at Kyoto University Hospital in October, administering an...

July 18, 2005 -- The number of Americans admitted to hospitals and clinics for treatment of methamphetamine and prescription painkiller addictions rose sharply in 2003, federal health officials said Monday. Nearly 117,000 Americans entered hospitals and clinics for treatment of methamphetamine addiction in 2003, a 10% rise from the year before. Treatments for abuse of prescription narcotics like OxyContin rose 12% to more than 48,000 in 2003, the latest year with available data, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Several states, including Arkansas, California, and Utah, saw their rates for admission for abuse of methamphetamine jump...