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A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

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81–90 of 158 posts

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#81
I'm going off on a tangent here, but whenever I read about progress in dentistry I always get the feeling they are just sugarcoating medieval practices. In an era where mankind routinely flies people into space, the primary tools leveraged by orthodontists is still drilling and pulling teeth, and teeth replacement is still implemented as lodging metal spikes onto the jawbone. It sounds like the only progress that we had since the 17th century is clever ways to numb pain and how finer materials ended up replacing wood for dental prosthetics.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#82

With good hygiene and dental checkups twice a year, you can reasonably expect to avoid cavities altogether.

That's not true for everybody: people have very different mouth chemistry/ecosystem that depends on diet, genetics and god knows what. Some people can live with brushing teeth once in a blue moon, others will get their teeth eaten by cavities no matter what they do. Your advice is probably OK for the median person, but really does not apply to everyone.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#83
post #80

So, in order to bypass the FDA, you plan to produce a bacterium, export it, go somewhere outside the US, pass it to people and then everybody returns to the US? what happens if someone, ahem, takes a dim view of the process and denies entry on biosecurity grounds?

People aren't tested for any contagious illnesses when entering the country.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#84
post #61

It would be nice to see some positive examples of where species (GM or otherwise) have been artificially introduced to an ecosystem and not ended up doing more harm than good. Otherwise, this kind of thing makes me sceptical, as there are always unintended consequences. I would only use this treatment if (amongst other things) the strain was engineered to be very sensitive to a very specific narrow-spectrum antibioti…

Faecal matter transplants.

Thanks for the example. I'm not sure that this is the same, as I don't think the gut microbiome introduced via a fecal transplant is likely to spread throughout a population without further intervention, though (i.e. more transplants).

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#85
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not OP, but in a similar situation. I'm 39, the last time a dentist looked in my mouth I was probably 16 or so* and I brush only once a day (after breakfast, which is the least effective over doing it before going to sleep). Never had a cavity. I don't think I have halitosis, at least the people I have kissed over the years never complained to me. Being Italian, I eat pasta literally every day, and my daily breakfast…

41 here, and also not seen by a dentist since I was around 16. No cavities for now, that I know of. If I have any, they don't hurt, at least for now. Fingers crossed. My diet is rather unremarkable, I don't consume a lot of sugar or sweets but don't refrain from them either. I brush 3 times a day. I do have occasional halitosis but it seems to be related to acid reflux, my breath seems to be fine when I have no reflu…

37 and same here. I brush twice a day with an electric toothbrush. I also brush my tongue well and rinse and gargle vigorously with water afterwards. I find I need to an electric toothbrush or I can't brush my wisdom teeth properly.

Last time I went to the dentist they removed 4 teeth because my mouth was crowded. Then I had braces. They came out when I was 16 or so and haven't been since.

I also spit several times a day. I don't know if this is relevant, but it seems to me it might be. At some point in my life I developed a habit, whenever I go to the toilet, I spit. My mouth actually salivates to get ready for it. I feel like it might do something to keep my mouth fresh.

I don't eat fruit. Very little sugar. I only eat within an 8 hour window each day. Lots of cheese. Every meal is balanced (plenty of fat to accompany any carbs, protein is incidental, I don't think about it).

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#86
post #66
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is your diet ? I am assuminf there is no processed sugar or refined wheat/gluten ?

Diet doesn't do much if you have bad genetics, I eat and brush the same as my gf, we don't smoke/drink, exercise the same, we basically have the same exact lifestyle. She has teeth issues multiple times a year, I never had a single problem

Are you sure? My girlfriend says one thing but I observe the daily unaccounted for consumption of fruit and sweets. Fair enough if you also consume lots of sweets, though.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#87

This story has been around for far too long and evidence is unbelievably weak, and the claims border on fraudulent. 1. The claim that this strain outcompetes the same S mutans from occupying the same niche cannot be true unless this strain is also capable of creating and tolerating environments with low pH. By definition if it creates acid to the same degree it will also cause cavities. 2. Single applications are ins…

> Oral probiotics function primarily through bacteriocins

What does this mean exactly?

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#88
post #49

Anecdote time: My great grandmother lived to be 102 and never had a cavity. Kept all her teeth to the end. One time, an orderly who thought she was just being senile tried to reach into her mouth to take out her teeth (thinking she had dentures). My great grandmother bit that person; hope they learned not all old people are senile! I’m 40% of the way there. No cavities and rave reviews from my dentist. I brush—-best…

What is your diet ? I am assuminf there is no processed sugar or refined wheat/gluten ?

Nothing that severe. I have beer, toast, sandwiches and burgers. I don't do a ton of sweets / soda but I do some (and if I do my teeth definitely get a fuzz that motivates brushing!).

My great grandma loved jello “salad”s (eg jello with fruit in it). It’s just genetics.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#89

This story has been around for far too long and evidence is unbelievably weak, and the claims border on fraudulent. 1. The claim that this strain outcompetes the same S mutans from occupying the same niche cannot be true unless this strain is also capable of creating and tolerating environments with low pH. By definition if it creates acid to the same degree it will also cause cavities. 2. Single applications are ins…

Yes, I remember reading about something like this a very long time ago. You’d wake up with a fresh breath (alcohol) instead of spoiled milk (lactic acid). And less cavities. Just like revolutionary batteries, I’ll believe it when we reach the millions of users.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#90

I just rinse my mouth every night with sugar, in addition to brushing. Have not had problems since. Effect of three-year consumption of erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol candies on various plaque and salivary caries-related variables https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24095985/ Xylitol and erythritol inhibit real-time biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32600259/ And, what I always e…

You last link returned no results.

But I think this is the same in a 50ml bottle. https://www-apodiscounter-de.translate.goog/myrrhentinktur-h...

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