Some bits of medical science can be endlessly frustrating (read: medicine bottles with seals that refuse to open). Some bits are plain boring (does anyone really follow advice from ten-ways-to-great-health listicles?). And then there are some bits which are utterly fascinating, perhaps even borderline eccentric—like AI-powered enemas with automatic pressure control, growing human cells in petri dishes and eye masks that play your favourite song.

Every month, research throws new light and opens up fresh possibilities for medical advancement. So, it is no surprise that we have reached human trial stage for a pill that can regrow adult human teeth. A biotech startup in Japan, Toregem Biopharma, has successfully regrown the teeth of lab mice and is hoping to replicate the same in humans. But how does the science for it work and what will it mean for the future of dental health?

In this episode, noted dentist Dr Gunita Singh guides us through the biological wonder of human teeth. After having set up the dental department at Max Healthcare over 20 years ago, she now consults with Sri Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi and runs her own chain of seven dental clinics in the city. From teeth loss worries to advancements in dental implants, and from painless tooth surgery (yes, it is real) to the USAG-1 protein that can help regrow teeth—this episode is the ultimate guide to increase your likelihood of still eating cake rusks at 80.

Tune in to find out if a dentist brushes after every meal, whether peanut butter is eroding your enamel and why you never find grannies with fake teeth floating about in a glass anymore!

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound mix by Sachin Dwivedi