All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

I came across this the other day...it looks as though dentures may be on their way out...

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/h...sh_1046144.htm

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Shame we can't grow new NHS dentists the same way.:)

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Wow!!

& I've just paid 250 quid for two new tombstones!!

Mind, what would it cost for the treatment to help 'grow yer own'?

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

I think it might be a while yet before we see the benefits of grow your own teeth.
There was also something in the paper yesterday about growing your own eyes......I couldn't read all of it though.... had mis-placed my glasses. I think it might have been in relation to AMD (age related macular degeneration) for which, up to now I believe there was no cure.

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Very interesting that A B but I'm with Pixie on the NHS Dentist front, anyone know of any dentists taking on new patients NHS or otherwise?

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There was a thread on here a couple of months ago.....about new NHS dentists and a number to phone to be put on the list. I phoned and they took my name and address.
Yesterday, an envelope landed on my doormat with Accrington Vic franking on it and I had to get hubby to open it....... thought it was the dreaded call to the dentist.
It was just an appointment for a mammogram......and I can cope with that!

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I have just looked back through the posts and the telephone number is 01254 380400.
It is worth a phone call!

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I will need Valium and a double brandy when I am called for!

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Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

It is a bit scary.....I want to know, If you are going to grow a new eye........where do you grow it? I wish I had read the article now...... but hubby is very quick to give our daily paper to an elderly neigbour and by the time I remembered that I wanted to read it.....whoosh, it was gone!

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Thanks for the phone number Margaret, appreciate it.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

l thought l was lucky when l moved back, l registered @ the dentists on Blackburn Rd. in Church. l paid £10 for the registration, £35 for an inital examination, then got a letter a week saying would l like to go private, as they aren't treating NHS patients. l'm also on the waiting list @ Accy Vic. In the meantime l travel to see my pal Eleanor in Glasgow who treats me for free,[just the not very reasonable Virgin train to pay for!] Perhaps she'll grow me some teeth & post 'em down.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

It looks like there are still a number of problems to be ironed out before this finds its way into practical dentistry.....like growing the right tooth for the place in the mouth.....would be no good to lose an incisor and grow a molar......you would end up looking like a gargoyle.
Another question...... where are the stem cells going to come from?
I know the Christie Hospital was looking at Stem cell Research for treatment of leukaemia.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Stem cell research could in theory find a cure for lots of diseaeses, including mine Parkinson's. The cells come from embryos, thats why there so much controversy about it.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

I know that the Christie Hospital was funding a program to try and grow their own stem cells.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

If it were successful it would remove some of the controversy.
Harvesting embryonic tissue is a very touchy subject for some people......I have my own views but they may not go down too well on a public forum.

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You may find some people agree with you. You may also find other people disagree with you but that makes for an interesting discussion.

I don't think I'd like anything growing in me that didn't originate from me.

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I am not sure about this Willow, but I don't think they can harvest stem cells from adults......I'm sure if I am wrong there is someone out ther who will correct me!

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Yeah, we have stem cells, but I think I have read somewhere that we do not produce enough of them to be harvested......like I say I could be wrong.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

My friend was recently treated at the Christie for leukaemia, and they were talking about stem cell research. My understanding was that although we all have some stem cells, we do not produce enough to harvest......but maybe that was in relation to leukaemia...... maybe if it is for teeth they only need to take a few.
I know the Christie was looking at growing their own supply of stem cells to treat leukaemia.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

I don't feel happy about harvesting them from embrios because to me all life is sacred and creating an embrio for the purpose of harvesting the stem cells I just cannot go along with and yet I know there will be people who disagree with me because it may be a way of finding a cure for cancer. It's a toughie.

I know there are some people who don't like the idea of transplants but in those cases the person has lived and died and made a conscious decision themselves for their organs to be used so it's morally different.

That's my opinion anyway for what it's worth.

Reading more of the article it says that stem cells start off all the same and only become different things by being nudged in that direction. That's why they are stem cells.

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I think that you can get stem cells fro the umbilical cord of a baby......lettie would know the answer I am sure.
I don't agree with creating embryos for research or for stem cells..... but there are many many babies that are aborted for social reasons....... and currently many of these abortions are done medically.....so the embryo is intact. I would not object to these embryos being used for the harvesting of tissue......but I know this is a very contentious view.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

At the present time these unwanted embryos are cremated.(if the abortion occurs at home, then they are often just flushed down the toilet).

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

I think that there would be too much of a public outcry for that to happen.
It is a very emotive subject......and not an easy one to get consensus of opinion.
There are very strict rules about human tissue and what can be done with it.
A lot of this came about because of the situation with organ retention at Alder Hey.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Stem cells can indeed be harvested from cord blood. Cord blood does not come directly from the baby but from the discarded placenta. We routinely take cord blood from placentae after delivery and hold it in reserve for a day or 2. It is a reliable way of getting a good sample of the baby's blood after delivery. Should the baby become seriously ill within a couple of days of birth we then have a good blood sample without resorting to pricking a sick baby. Some couples have recently started to ask for their stem cells to be harvested from their placenta. We don't do this at Blackburn as we haven't the facilities for stem cell research, but we can send the blood to the units who are doing this research should the parents wish to do so.

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l know it is a very concentious issue, & l agree it's got to be done ethically. From a purely selfish point of view though, if medecine can produce a drug for me l'd be over the moon, this in fact is the one hope that keeps me sane. @ 39 to be told l'll never work again because of an incurrable, degenerative disease really knocked me for six. Sorry to bang on, l don't want sypathy, & l know theres a lot of people in a worse state than me. But if they can find a drug to replace the dopamine that l don't produce, to tell my hands & legs to move when l want them too, & not shake when I don't want too l'd be very happy.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

For your sake and others like you garinda I hope that research is able to find a cure. There are probably many other things too which with a little investment, time and resources could be helped. I know this is a slight tangent but an awful lot of money is wasted on stupid pointless things which would be better directed to medical research.

I do agree with you that it has to be done ethically and it's the sensationalism which has been bandied about with headlines like "harvesting dead babies" and "growing embrios for research purposes" that gives people the fear that we are entering a nightmare scifi scenario. If these cells can be harvested from umbilical cords then surely it should be done as that doesn't affect anyone else. It just goes to show how uninformed we are and how useful it is discussing these topics on AccyWeb when we find people whop know more about it.

I think it's great that a blood sample is taken from the cord like you said Lettie because when I had my eldest daughter and they had to take blood from her in the hospital I felt like the cruelest person on earth as she screamed when I was holding her so they could put a needle into her. she seemed so tiny and the needle so huge by comparison. Then to make it worse they didn't get enough blood and had to come back and do it a second time just after I'd comforted her saying it was all over.:(

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Cheers Willow. like l said l don't want to be a moaning minnie, but l have to be quite selfish in my hope for a cure. l never thought l'd end up with this bloody disease, it's good we all don't know whats round the corner!
lt's hoped the research could lead not just to treatment for loads of diseases, from MS to some cancers, but to total cures.

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Do you suppose that those protesting against the great evil of stem cell research would be as staunch in their refusal to accept the help that may come from such research? Or would their deeply held religious beliefs crumble at the prospect of being offered a cure for their illnesses?

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

It probably depends on the person. I knew a woman who was a devout Jehovah's Witness and whose life could have been saved by a blood transfusion but she was set against it because of her religious beliefs and sadly she died, leaving a husband and small children.

It seemed so tragic to me because those children were heartbroken to lose their Mum and it could so easily have been prevented but to her beliefs it would have been worse for her to survive that way and risk eternal damnation.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

I, too have watched helplessly while a Jehovahs Witness died for the want of a blood transfusion and I have to say it was one of the most disturbing incidents of my career.
It is truly horrifying to watch someone bleed to death knowing there is a simple solution......however, that persons faith was strong enough to see them through......sometimes I wish I had a faith like that.

A-B you are so right.....I used to work with a Medical Professional who was dead set against abortion.....even for medical reasons, she soon changed her mind when she found herself pregnant after having an affair......her husband lived overseas and she could not go back home with a baby. I am not being judgemental in this matter(at least, I think I'm not) but all of a sudden abortion was OK because she saw it as the only way out of her predicament.

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Michael Fox was in a similar position Garinda.....but he has had some kind of treatment and is much better. I have to say that I can't remember what the treatment was......I wish now I had taken more notice. But then I am sure you have looked into what is available.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Bit of a tangent from teeth l know; But currently the only drugs available, only work for so long before any benefits stop. l'm just about to start taking the last one[ the one with the most side effects.] After that theres nothing except surgery. This is an 18 hour op, were you have to be awake while metal rods are put in your brain, you have to be awake the all time, so they can see if it's working. lt's only done @ 1 hospital in this country & the effects aren't always that successful. So l'm crossing my fingers for stem cell research as l plan to live well into a disgaceful old age, & l'm only 40!

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I baulked at the prospect of having little umbrellas shoved up my arteries to widen them. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have to face the prospect of them messing around in my head while I am awake, so I cannot empathise with you. You said you do not want sympathy, so would a wish for the Best of British Luck be OK?

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Cheers A-B,l know l'm certainly not the only person here with problems & l appreciate that, this bloody thing won't kill me. There are far more horrible things happening eveyday.

Re: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
 

Quite right too! Chin up and soldier on!

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