3 ms·

Dental caries aren't caused by a single species of bacteria, but by multiple species working together. They form an extracellular matrix called a 'biofilm' that

Dental caries aren't caused by a single species of bacteria, but by multiple species working together. They form an extracellular matrix called a 'biofilm' that makes them resistant to immune system attack [1]. The link you cite is not a vaccine, but a supposed 'replacement' bacteria that outcompetes the native bacteria [2]. This can definitely work, but I'm doubtful it will be universally effective, for the same reasons that probiotics don't always work: every person has different existing populations of bacteria, and not every invading species will be successful at colonizing or dominating that environment. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20630188 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20630188 [2] http://www.oragenics.com/technology-pipeline/lbp/smart http://www.oragenics.com/technology-pipeline/lbp/smart

dualogy 10y ago
> Dental caries aren't caused by a single species of bacteria, but by multiple species working together. Yeah, but not many. Next to the ~half-dozen-hundreds-or-so of species populating our oral cavity without issue (indeed contributing just fine), we know of just ~under-half-a-dozen-or-so potentially dangerous ones. The very ones who create the very few actually damaging acids (among the many kinds in the world that our initially-generally-robust dentition handles just-fine) when fermenting carbohydrate leftovers. Brushing regularly disrupts or may even destroy their biofilm, Xylitol accomplishes/contributes the same FWIW, or absent dietary carbohydrate (read, ancestral ice-age hunters / traditional inuit / Maasai warriors etc) the problematic sort doesn't even ever form.