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I read science articles so you don't have to, because (A) I was an aspiring environmental scientist at one point in my life and I usually find the subject matter fascinating and (B) sometimes I come across the darndest things. To wit, we hear about skincare products boasting peptides (in layman's terms, segments of amino acids) all the time. But according to Science Alert, a new mousse-like product containing peptides has recently been discovered that seems particularly adept at repairing tooth decay, DIY at-home style. What gives?

Australian and Japanese researchers in the Cooperative Research Centre for Oral Heath Science (CRC-OHS) set out to find a method of using fluoride in a more effective way than traditional forms to prevent tooth decay. The remarkable new product penetrates ten times deeper into teeth than current fluoride treatments.

The treatment combines fluoride with a substance designed to penetrate tooth enamel. Known as peptide-calcium phosphate nanocomplex, it repairs tooth damage by replacing the minerals lost through the decay process. Researchers at the University of Melbourne developed the fluoride and nanocomplex formulation, before product development moved to Tokyo to a laboratory of GC Corporation Japan--a participant in the CRC-OHS.

Bored yet? Okay okay, but think about all the money in dental bills saved! Look for this product coming to a boutique near you soon, and never underestimate the power of the peptide.