When Brooklyn Nets forward Reggie Evans took a hard hit to the face during an NBA game, he stayed with the rebound, walking off the court at the next dead ball. As he approached the sideline, Evans reached into his mouth and pulled out a tooth, laying it on the scorer's table in front of the startled announcers. Officials called a timeout so trainers could examine him, but after stopping the bleeding with a towel, Evans returned to the game, even putting up a double-double in the Nets' victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has a big Twitter following, and now he's a YouTube sensation as well, with "Chris Hadfield Brushes His Teeth in Space" receiving thousands of hits. Hadfield filmed the video aboard the International Space Station in answer to a viewer's question: "Is it challenging to brush your teeth in space without getting toothpaste up your nose?" In the video, Hadfield demonstrates how to maintain oral hygiene in a weightless environment (once you've corralled your floating toothbrush). And no, Hadfield says - toothpaste doesn't get up your nose, since there's no force to push it up there.

Researchers from Kings College, London, successfully grew teeth from human epithelial cells mixed with mesenchyme cells from mice. Transplanted into mice, the mesenchyme cells acted as "inducers," instructing the epithelial cells to develop into teeth with viable roots. Now the challenge is to _ nd a way to culture tooth-inducing adult human mesenchyme cells for clinical use so that these engineered teeth could someday replace dental implants. The scientists are optimistic that spin-off results of their research, like bio-fillings, could be feasible within 10 to 15 years.

A trendy blog site, Actresses Without Teeth, has been posting celebrity photos with the teeth digitally removed from those high-wattage smiles. The doctored images are simultaneously "horrifying" and "hilarious," according to fans of the site. Some see a not-so-subtle reminder to take care of those pearly whites: "Well, this is one way to promote dental hygiene," one viewer concluded.