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According to a statement released by the Eurac Research Institute for Mummy Studies, genetic material from Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacterium that causes throat infections, scarlet fever, and toxic shock syndrome, has been detected in a 700-year-old tooth in the collection of Bolivia's National Museum of Archaeology. It had been previously thought that the bacterium arrived in South America with Europeans. "We weren't looking for this pathogen specifically," said Frank Maizner of the Eurac Research Institute for Mummy Studies. The tooth came from the skull of a young man who lived between A.D. 1100 and 1450 in the arid Bolivian highlands....

This innovative gel can be quickly applied to teeth in much the same way as standard fluoride treatments. Unlike traditional products, it contains no fluoride. Instead, it is made from proteins that imitate those naturally responsible for guiding enamel formation early in life.Once applied, the gel forms a thin yet durable layer that seeps into the surface of the teeth, filling in tiny cracks and holes. It then acts as a scaffold that captures calcium and phosphate ions from saliva. These minerals are carefully organized into new enamel through a process known as epitaxial mineralization. This allows the regenerated enamel...

In order to analyze the tooth enamel, the researchers embedded the teeth in resin and then cut them into wafer-thin slices some 150 micrometers thick. These extremely precious tooth samples are part of the Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald Collection at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, a permanent loan from the Werner Reimers Foundation.In turn, they used a special laser to ablate material from the thin slices, which was chemically analyzed with a mass spectrometer for, among other elements, strontium and calcium, which are found in both bones and teeth (Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass...

A study conducted shows that anti-inflammatory drugs commonly taken by children may be associated with dental enamel defects (DEDs) currently seen in about 20% of children worldwide. The authors investigated the effects of celecoxib and indomethacin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), alongside paracetamol. Dentists have observed a sharp rise in the number of children seeking treatment for pain, white or yellow tooth spots, dental sensitivity and fragility. Dental decay in the form of carious lesions appears sooner and more frequently in these patients, whose restorations are less adhesive and tend to fail more. Studies have shown they may have to replace...

A new method for estimating the biological sex of human remains based on reading protein sequences rather than DNA has been used to study an archaeological site in Northern California. The protein-based technique gave superior results to DNA analysis in studying 55 sets of human remains between 300 and 2,300 years old. The work is published July 17 in Scientific Reports. The method targets amelogenin, a protein found in tooth enamel, said first author Tammy Buonasera, postdoctoral researcher working with Glendon Parker, adjunct associate professor in the Department of Environmental Toxicology at the University of California, Davis. The technique was...

According to a statement released by the University of Edinburgh, analysis of tooth enamel samples collected from the remains of people buried in England between the end of Roman rule in Britain around A.D. 400 and the arrival of the Normans around 1100 indicates that migration to the island was continuous throughout the period. Tooth enamel is laid down during childhood and carries chemical markers of the local environment. Sam Leggett of the University of Edinburgh, Susanne Hakenbeck of the University of Cambridge, and their colleagues examined more than 700 chemical signatures in the samples, and determined that people came...

Long before their teeth evolved to handle tough, fibrous plants, early humans were already digging up and eating grasses, sedges, and starchy underground foods.A new fossil-tooth isotope study shows this behavior began about 700,000 years before longer molars emerged -- revealing that behavioral innovation, not anatomy, drove the change...As early humans moved from the dense forests of Africa into open grasslands, they began relying on quick, reliable sources of energy. This shift in habitat led them to favor grassy plants, especially grains and the starchy tissues stored underground.A new study led by Dartmouth researchers reveals that hominins started eating these...

There are still many mysteries that surround Stonehenge, but one element that archaeologists generally agree upon is the origin of some of its monolithic stones. A study conducted in the 2010s indicated that the standing bluestones were quarried around 140 miles from the legendary monument, at two locations in Wales. According to a statement released by the British Geological Survey (BGS), new research has further strengthened the ties between Stonehenge and that region, and revealed how the megaliths were transported. During excavations at Stonehenge in 1924, archaeologists discovered a cow's jawbone near the south entrance, and dated it to the...

Toothpaste made from your own hair may offer a sustainable and clinically effective way to protect and repair damaged teeth. In a new study, scientists discovered that keratin, a protein found in hair, skin and wool, can repair tooth enamel and stop early stages of decay. The scientists discovered that keratin produces a protective coating that mimics the structure and function of natural enamel when it comes into contact with minerals in saliva. Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy said, "Unlike bones and hair, enamel does not regenerate. Once it is lost, it's gone forever." Acidic foods and drinks, poor oral hygiene, and...

A new study highlights the potential of using a natural compound from maple to combat the bacteria responsible for tooth decay: Streptococcus mutans. The compound, epicatechin gallate, is a powerful and safe alternative to traditional plaque-fighting agents. The new study emerged as an offshoot of research into natural compounds that inhibit biofilm formation in Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen. They isolated polyphenolic compounds from maple that inhibit Listeria attachment and biofilm formation. They also identified their target: sortase A, an enzyme that anchors adhesins to the bacterial cell wall. When sortase A is inhibited, these adhesins are not anchored in...

Losing a tooth is an important developmental stage in childhood, but it is far less pleasant in adulthood. It needs pricey dental substitutes like dentures or implants, but that could soon change. Toregem Biopharma, a Japanese pharmaceutical business, is about to launch a ground-breaking medication designed to promote tooth growth. The Japan Times claims that the group responsible for this outstanding accomplishment, which was supported by Kyoto University and headed by Toregem Biopharma, had been working hard on the project for years. A medication that targets the suppression of a protein that inhibits tooth growth is the result of their...

@RepDonBacon Mr President, your policy towards Russia is not working. While we negotiate, Putin bombs Ukrainian cities. Here is Kyiv today. It is time to change strategy. We and our allies must arm Ukraine to the teeth & we need the toughest sanctions. Putin is mocking you and America.

Buried for hundreds of years, ancient brains are finally speaking. What they’re saying could change everything we thought we knew. A pioneering scientific breakthrough has made it possible to extract proteins from preserved soft tissues, including human brains, revealing a vast archive of biological information that has long remained inaccessible. This new method promises to reshape our understanding of evolution, diet, microbiomes, and even the development of brain cells over millennia. Tapping Into Hidden Biological Archives Every organism is built from proteins—molecules that drive vital processes such as heartbeats and neural communication. When an organism dies, these proteins usually degrade...

A stranger shoved an 86-year-old woman to the ground — breaking her teeth — in a random attack near the exit of an Upper East Side supermarket over the weekend, cops said. The victim was leaving Morton Williams on Third Avenue near East 63rd Street around 1:25 p.m. Sunday when the maniac suddenly pushed her from behind, authorities said. The force of the shove sent the senior face-first into a pole supporting scaffolding set up outside the store, the sources said. The blow left her with multiple broken teeth, as well as injuries to her left eye and back, cops...

Humans May Be Able to Grow New Teeth Within Just 5 Years While bones can regrow themselves when they break, teeth aren’t so lucky, and that leads to millions of people worldwide suffering from some form of edentulism, a.k.a. toothlessness. Now, Japanese researchers are moving a promising, tooth-regrowing medicine into human trials. If the trial is successful, the researchers hope the drug will become available for all forms of toothlessness sometime around 2030. The average adult human body contains 206 bones—the hardened mixtures of calcium, minerals, and collagen that provide the biological scaffolding that walks us through our day. While...

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...

Robert Yott charged with felony assault, criminal mischief The Bath NY Police Department reports that a man entered the Tops Market on November 1 and attacked a stranger for wearing a red “Trump 2024” hat. Yott punched the victim repeatedly, causing injury described as “teeth to be broken and bloody mouth.” Police arrested Yott, who is well known as an author of two military historical books, for one felony and one misdemeanor charge. He was held pending arraignment, read the full police report here.

...A total of 1,689 cremains were dated and studied, and they were categorized as belonging to one of three time periods: 364 to the La Tène Period, 113 to early Roman, and 1212 to the Imperial Roman period...On average, individuals lived longer during the Roman Period than during the Iron Age, with far more cases of individuals reaching the age of 60 and above.However, during both the Iron Age and Roman Period, females were more likely to die younger than their male counterparts, with over half the cremations for both the Iron Age and Roman Period representing females below 40...

Researchers have studied the ancient skeleton of a baby boy found in southern Italy, revealing a glimpse into life in the Ice Age, 17,000 years ago. The infant, which lived during the Ice Age, likely had brown skin, curly dark hair, and blue eyes. His remains were first discovered in 1998 in the Grotta delle Mura cave, located in Monopoli, Puglia, Italy. A recent report published in Nature Communications shared these findings. Archaeologist Mauro Calattini, who worked on the study, found the baby’s bones carefully covered with stones. There were no items buried with the child, and it was the...

A team of pioneering researchers is making remarkable strides toward developing a drug that could trigger the growth of new teeth in humans. A revolutionary milestone in dentistry and genetics has set the stage for transformative medical treatments. The team of pioneering Japanese researchers, led by Katsu Takahashi, is making remarkable strides toward developing a drug that could trigger the growth of new teeth in humans. This groundbreaking discovery has the potential to reshape dental care worldwide, offering new hope to millions dealing with hereditary dental issues. The clinical trial has sparked excitement across the global scientific community, with the...