Prickly pufferfish could hold the key to why humans do not continually replace their teeth and may lead to advances in dental therapies.

While we may brush and floss tirelessly and our dentists may scrape and pick at our teeth to minimize the formation of plaque known as tartar or dental calculus, anthropologists may be rejoicing at the fact that past civilizations were not so careful with dental hygiene. Researchers have discovered that particles of plaque removed from teeth of ancient populations may provide clues about their diets.

Scientists using nanotechology have created the first cavity-filling composite that kills harmful bacteria and regenerates tooth structure lost to bacterial decay. This first-of-a-kind nanocomposite will be tested in animal teeth then human volunteers next.

A recent study found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth -- specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.

A clinical trial is underway in Australia that is investigating the effects of fish oil as adjunct therapy for periodontitis.