Microbiome Research and Future Products
Research in the field of microbiomes shows that only a limited set of microbes cause tooth decay, with most of the bacteria in the human mouth being harmless. Focused attention on cavity-causing bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans has lead research into new mouthwash treatments that prevent these bacteria from initially growing. While current mouthwash treatments must be used with a degree of frequency to prevent this bacteria from regrowing, future treatments could provide a viable long term solution.
The research group, financed by toothpaste manufacturer Colgate-Palmolive, has designed a molecule called C16G2 that had been proven to kill S. mutans in Petri dishes. C16G2 is an antimicrobial peptide that attaches to the cell membrane of the bacteria and destroys it. The experiment showed that after removing this bacteria, healthy bacteria was able to move in and replace the habitat and preventing S. mutans from regrowing.
Read more about this topic: Mouthwash
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