A WORCESTER dentist believes he has invented a miracle paste which stops people's teeth from falling out.

Dentist Ray Steggles, of the Wharf Dental Practice in Lowesmoor Wharf, Lowesmoor, says the paste allows the bone around teeth to grow back by killing off the bacteria which destroys it.

He said he has already tried the paste on more than 50 patients between the ages of 21 and 70 - all of whom he says have experienced benefits.

Patient Jane Ingles, a mother of three, aged 40, from Pinvin, near Pershore, said: "I was totally surprised. I thought I was going to lose my tooth. In the beginning it was causing me severe pain. Now the tooth is firm and causes me no pain. I noticed a huge difference after just three months."

Mr Steggles, a dentist for the last 31 years, has yet to give the paste a name.

He said: "I'm excited about what I have discovered. It's a dramatic move forward. It's just a case of getting it all through trials and manufacturers to produce it. It is certainly a significant breakthrough."

Patients who have had the treatment say they can literally feel their gums tightening and Mr Steggles said he noticed an increase in bone density within a week of the paste being used.

The orange paste, which contains both an antibiotic and a new ingredient which makes the antibiotic more effective at killing the bacteria - is squirted directly on to an area of the mouth where bone density is at its lowest and only needs to be applied once.

Mr Steggles, 56, first began working on the theory behind the paste during an Open University course in 2004 and is now looking for private funding to help pay for trials so the paste can be developed as a product for all dental surgeries.

A spokesman from the British Dental Association said: "We can't comment on this individual product, which sounds interesting, but gum disease is a complicated condition and there is a multitude of factors that influence its progression and these need to be considered in any evaluation of a new product.

"There are many products on the market claiming such success but the best way to maintain a healthy teeth and gums is to brush at least twice-a-day and avoid sugary snacks."