The link among dentists, cell phones, and remote controls
Coming to a dentist near you: a drug-dispensing tooth.
Before you think I’ve been reading a little too much science fiction, let me explain. This is the latest idea that’s currently being worked on in Europe—the same area of the world that used to bring us truly useful inventions, such as the Gutenberg press and the electric elevator.
People have difficulty with their prescription medications, plain and simple. It’s an ongoing issue, and it’s no wonder. Just consider the number of prescriptions that so many people take and the complicated instructions that go with each one.
So in the interest of making prescription use easier, researchers are working on a drug-dispensing system, which they have named “IntelliDrug,” that would go into a person’s mouth. It would fit in the back of the mouth, just like a molar tooth.
There should be a prototype ready for human testing by the end of the year. The challenge has been to get the components of the device small enough so that at some point they can become a permanent fixture in a person’s mouth.
Currently, the device is the size of two teeth and is strapped to the side of the teeth nearest the inside of the cheek. It sounds a little unwieldy at the moment, which is why the research group has set a goal of creating a complete replacement tooth.
The idea is to release the exact dosage of medicine needed and at the right times. The drug would be delivered directly into your bloodstream through the lining of the cheek. The developers call this “automating the process.”
And that’s where the hair begins to raise on the back of my neck.
The IntelliDrug system has a communication port that allows you to control the device with a remote control. This also gives it the future potential of being linked to your cellular phone or to a nearby health facility.
Remote-controlled drug-dispensing devices in your head? The thought of that is enough to give me nervous hives.
