IELTS & English Reading Practice: The Future of Teeth - No More Drills?

Going to the dentist is something that not many people look forward to. My mum used to call it the “Murder House”, and although that does seem very extreme, there was a time when dentists pulled, poked, scraped and drilled into your teeth without the use of an anaesthetic. Nowadays, it is quite a different experience, and according to this week’s article, it looks like it might be going to get even better!

When was the last time you went to the dentist?

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For decades, treating a cavity has usually meant one thing, a drill. Now, a large clinical trial in the United States has found a much gentler alternative. Researchers tested a liquid called silver diamine fluoride, which is painted directly onto a decayed tooth using a small sponge-tipped applicator, with no drilling, injections or anaesthetic required. The trial involved 830 children under the age of six, and by the eight-month mark, around half of the treated cavities had stopped getting worse, compared to a much smaller number among children who were given a placebo instead.

Researchers believe this treatment could be especially valuable for groups who often find traditional dental care difficult, including toddlers, older adults, people with dental anxiety, and those with limited access to a dentist in the first place. There is one noticeable trade-off though: the treatment permanently darkens the area of the tooth it is applied to. Researchers argue this is a fair compromise compared to the pain, cost and complexity of drilling, particularly for very young children.

While that treatment focuses on stopping existing decay, scientists in Japan are working on something far more ambitious, actually regrowing teeth altogether. Researchers at Kyoto University have begun early human trials of a drug that targets a protein called USAG-1, which normally prevents humans from developing a third set of teeth later in life. By blocking this protein, earlier studies showed that mice and ferrets were able to grow complete, functioning teeth. Researchers are now carefully testing whether the same approach can be safely used in humans.

This human trial is still in its earliest stages, currently focused only on confirming the treatment is safe for adults, rather than proving it can regrow teeth in people just yet. If future trials go well, researchers hope the drug could eventually help children born without a full set of teeth, as well as adults who have lost teeth due to injury or disease. Widespread availability, if it happens at all, is still expected to be years away, but scientists say it represents a genuinely new direction for dental treatment, one focused on natural regrowth rather than artificial replacement.

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. According to the article, silver diamine fluoride is applied to a tooth using
   A. an injection
   B. a small sponge-tipped applicator
   C. a dental drill
   D. a general anaesthetic

2. By the eight-month mark of the trial, roughly what proportion of treated cavities had stopped getting worse?
   A. About 25%
   B. About 33%
   C. About 50%
   D. Nearly 100%

3. According to the article, one downside of silver diamine fluoride is that it
   A. is more expensive than a filling
   B. only works on adult teeth
   C. permanently changes the colour of the treated tooth
   D. requires several follow-up injections

4. What does the USAG-1 protein normally do in the human body?
   A. It strengthens existing adult teeth
   B. It prevents the growth of extra teeth
   C. It causes tooth decay over time
   D. It controls how quickly baby teeth fall out

5. What is the current stage of the human trial for the tooth regrowth drug?
   A. It is confirming whether the drug is safe for adults
   B. It is already approved for use in children
   C. It is testing the drug only on ferrets
   D. It has been paused due to safety concerns

6. According to the article, if future trials are successful, the tooth regrowth drug could eventually help
   A. only elderly patients
   B. only children with cavities
   C. adults and children without a full set of teeth
   D. anyone wanting whiter teeth

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