According to The National Post, one family dentist in Alberta is causing an international stir over some unconventional practices. No, he’s not operating on patients with dirty tools — this dentist is trying to create a clone. And not just any clone. Dr. Michael Zuk plans to clone a baby from one of John Lennon’s teeth, and raise this test-tube baby Beatle as his own son.
Dr. Michael Zuk paid an incredible $33,000 for the molar when Lennon’s former housekeeper put it up for auction. Dr. Zuk has high hopes that there is enough genetic information stored in the tooth to create a duplicate human being. “My goal is to own John Lennon’s DNA,” he explains.
Not surprisingly, many have questioned the legality of having ownership rights to someone else’s DNA. Dr. Zuk has used strange promotional strategies in the past, causing some to wonder if this is nothing but a gimmick, especially considering that all medical research on cloning assures us that clones are not born with any memory that would enable them to, for example, become world-famous musicians once again.
Human Cloning Not Typical Service Offered
If you are trying to find a family dentist, rest assured, you will not be cloned in the process. There are many concerns people have about dental visits, though, that go beyond this strange issue. It’s worth noting that anxiety about going to the dentist is incredibly common, affecting as much as 20% of the population.
If you experience dental pain or trouble, the worst thing to do is leave it off until you need to schedule an emergency dental visit. After waiting, treatment is typically more expensive and invasive, and your risk of further complications goes up. Abscesses in the mouth typically occur as a result of nearby decaying tooth pulp. Abscesses are extremely painful, and they often form because people have put off treating their teeth owing to a lack of time or dental insurance.
A Loss of Pain Doesn’t Mean a Cured Abscess
Abscesses can also be dangerously misleading because the pain will often fade over time. This doesn’t mean to abscess disappeared — instead, it progressed so far that it has killed the tooth’s nerve. Infected root canals or gums should be immediately treated by an emergency dentist.
If left untreated, the consequences of a severe tooth abscess can be dire. They can perforate bone and extend into soft tissue. The infection can spread to other parts of the body and lead to issues such as septicaemia.
Do you need to see a family dentist because of tooth trouble? Let us know in the comments. See this reference for more.
