記住我
EDITORIAL
Year : 2023 | Volume
: 14
| Issue : 2 | Page : 43-44
Collaboration Over Borders: From Clinical Dentistry To Quantum Biology
Gunnar Hasselgren
College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University, New York, USA
Correspondence Address:
Gunnar Hasselgren
College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University, New York
USA
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
CheckDOI: 10.4103/denthyp.denthyp_62_23
Some time ago, I reviewed a manuscript for an endodontic journal. The authors had found a way to make mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) cement set faster. MTA is essentially composed of Portland cement, and as already the Romans used this cement there is a vast body of literature dealing with it. The manuscript had many problems, and in the review, I pointed out that their finding regarding faster setting was definitely not new, but rather a few hundred years old, and I referred to a textbook on the use of Portland cement. The journal rejected the manuscript, and I had more or less forgotten it when a few months later, a message from the editor arrived with the comment, “You must read this!”
It was a letter from the authors to the editor, expressing their disagreement with the rejection of their manuscript. They were especially upset with the comment on the faster setting, they clearly stated that it is unfair to expect anyone to read anything but the dental literature. I read their letter several times to make sure that I had understood the text properly. No, it was absolutely clear that the authors did not want to read anything but the dental literature.
My initial reaction was that it was simply ridiculous, but the more you think about it, it is indeed very sad. To limit oneself to such a degree that they can dig only one hole and refuse to look around is a limited mindset. Where would dentistry be if this limiting attitude had been there from the very beginning? Our instruments used to examine patients, such as the mirrors, probes, and other tools, are the products of research in mining, metallurgy, and design. If a limiting attitude had prevailed, we would not have all these essential instruments for dental examination. Our radiographs would not exist as Wilhelm Konrad Röntgen was not a dentist, and the same applies to numerous other advancements in dentistry. The future of any field of research depends on the exchange of ideas with the other fields of study, or to quote Rupert Sheldrake, “much remains to be discovered and re-discovered including wisdom.” New fields of study are being added to our research areas, and some of these are destined to become important to dentistry. In the clinic, advancements in bioengineering, materials science, and imaging techniques, among other areas, have markedly improved our ability to render better care for our patients. New discoveries in the basic sciences will influence both our research and clinical activities. Just one example is water, a simple molecule composed of three atoms: two hydrogen and one oxygen; however, it has been found to be a much more complex substance than previously thought. Water is a prerequisite for life. We drink it, we swim and sail in it, and our body is composed of approximately 60% water. Water is not always the common H2O that comes out of the tap. It can form large molecules called clustered water, and it covers biological surfaces.[1] This clustered water has properties distinct from regular water, and the term “water wire” describes the speed of electric currents in clustered water. The knowledge of this will most likely provide new explanations and change our views on some biologic processes. Please see Professor Martin Chaplin’s excellent website regarding water: https://water.lsbu.ac.uk/water/.
Quantum Biology is another field that is not considered in our studies; however, it is important that quantum events take place in the body at or below the cellular level. It is challenging to comprehend quantum theory as it seems strange and illogical and Richard Feynman summarized it well: Nobody really understands quantum theory. Still, modern society has benefitted immensely from quantum theory as it has made lasers, CD and DVD players, smartphones, and a multitude of other things possible. The connection between biology and quantum theory was pointed out already in 1943 when Schrödinger stated that life is a quantum-level phenomenon.[2] Quantum Biology holds the explanations for many biological events that we hardly understand today. For example, the exact mechanism of enzyme activity has eluded us for a long time even if many studies have dealt with enzymes and their activities. Quantum Biology has an explanation for the ability of enzymes to make reactions possible without the addition of major amounts of energy.[3] The Quantum Biology field may be hard to grasp, but “Life on the Edge” is an excellent introduction to Quantum Biology written by Professors Johnjoe McFadden and Jim AlKhalili at the University of Surrey.[4] As long as we keep our minds open and continue to work together with other areas, dental research has a bright future.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References
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