Finding new strains of bacteria helps to develop drugs to prevent tooth decay

Researchers at Florida State Medical University (USA) have identified a new probiotic strain, with the ability to control the activity of bad bacteria, thereby forming a single cavity prevention solution. Simple and effective in the future.

This finding is expected to lead to the formation of a drug that helps protect the mouth. While the development of an effective oral probiotic requires more research to be done, an organism candidate may have been found: an unidentified strain of Streptococcus (Streptococcus), which is called A12.

"To maintain healthy oral health, the oral environment must have a relatively stable chemical structure, or neutral pH. When the environment in the mouth becomes more acidic, cavities or other disorders have can develop, "said Dr. Robert Burne, head of the Dental Department at the University of Florida and co-author of the study. "At that time, the bacteria on teeth created acids and acids would erode teeth. It was a simple chemical process. What we were interested in was the activity that kept the pH at a high level."

This finding is expected to lead to the formation of a drug that helps protect the mouth.

Previous research by Burne and his colleague Marcelle Nascimento - associate professor at the University of Florida, is in the field of restorative dental sciences; as well as other members of the study found two main compounds broken down into ammonia, which neutralizes acid in the mouth. These compounds include urea, which is secreted in everyone's mouth, and arginine - an amino acid . Burne and Nascimento also found that both adults and children with little or no tooth decay performed the arginine disruption process better than those with tooth decay. Researchers already know that bacteria are responsible for breaking these compounds, but it is necessary to look for bacteria that do it best, and A12 is part of the answer.

"Like adding probiotics to the gut to improve health, what happens if there is a probiotic formula developed from naturally beneficial bacteria, from people who possess high ability to break down? arginine? " , Burne said. "You will put this bacteriophage in a healthy child or an adult at risk of developing tooth decay. However, you will probably do it many times, once in your life or once a week. But the idea is able to prevent people's deterioration in oral health, thanks to natural beneficial organisms ".

Scientists believe that the A12 possesses a powerful "weapon " to fight a particularly harmful type of streptococcus, called Streptococcus mutans , capable of converting sugar into lactic acid, contributing to Increasing the amount of acid in the mouth, is the main cause of tooth decay. The team found that A12 not only neutralizes acid by metabolizing arginine in the mouth, it also killed Streptococcus mutans. Now researchers have begun sequencing the entire genome of A12, hoping to turn it into a test tool for people at high risk of tooth decay, combined with other factors such as regimen. their eating and oral hygiene habits.