
Chilean scientists discover molecule that kills bacteria that cause cavities - saavedra
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Heinleinian
Random observation -- my family seems to have a gene that makes us basically
immune from cavities. My father has, to my knowledge, never had a cavity,
despite being born in the 1930's, when health care, hygiene and regular
dentist check-ups were not what they are today.

I've gone months without brushing my teeth. Been to the dentist twice in the
last 10 years - no cavities. (Of course, starting in college I realized I
should probably brush in the mornings for breath reasons...)

I've often wondered if some clever bio hacker could figure out what protein my
genes are telling me to include in my saliva and reverse engineer it. Perhaps
these guys did something similar.

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citricsquid
> I've gone months without brushing my teeth

Why?

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geuis
If you never get cavities, the principal reason for brushing goes out the
window. Humans survived for tens of thousands of years with plaque and
yesterday's kill stuck in the teeth, even when poor dental was predominant.

The primary reasons to brush your teeth are to prevent cavities, plaque
buildup, and smell. If you don't get the first problem, the others are easy to
ignore. Pleasant smelling breath is a modern ascetic, so it's easy to imagine
a scenario where a young man that hasn't had regular intimate contact yet
ignores the bad breath. It's only afterword that the positive social benefits
become understood.

~~~
Vivtek
Humans survived with poor dental care by dying before their teeth were
completely rotted. If you plan to live longer than about 50, you'd better
brush.

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btilly
This is a very strong claim, and is not backed by the evidence.

Studies of surviving hunting-gathering societies suggest that their lives were
much lower stress and life spans (barring violent accident) much longer than
early agricultural societies. Even with accident included, their lifespans
were better comparatively recently. (For instance the eskimos, despite living
in one of the harshest environments on Earth, had about a 25% chance of
surviving to 60.)

Whether or not they would lose their teeth varied by diet. Our diets have lots
of sugar and grains in them which promotes tooth decay. Other diets differ.
Early surveys of eskimos that had never eaten Western food showed that most
never have had a cavity in their lives. The immunity was not genetic - those
exposed to Western food had plenty of cavities.

See [http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/07/mortality-
and-...](http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/07/mortality-and-lifespan-
of-inuit.html) for a reference to the lifespan of eskimos. See
[http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/price5.ht...](http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/price5.html)
for some evidence about their lack of tooth decay.

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Vivtek
Ah, but strong claims are a good tactic for eliciting fascinating responses
like this one - thanks!

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ryanknapp
There's a mouthwash that aims to do the same thing, and is conducting clinical
trials in the US.

The link I found says that they were starting in March, but I can't seem to
find anything about the results or if they actually started the expanded
trials.

[http://www.dentistry.ucla.edu/news/new-mouthwash-
targeting-h...](http://www.dentistry.ucla.edu/news/new-mouthwash-targeting-
harmful-bacteria-may-render-tooth-decay-a-thing-of-the-past)

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danmaz74
If everybody starts using this molecule, isn't the bacterium going to adapt,
like with antibiotics?

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drostie
It is quite possible. Bacteria do all sorts of weird and wonderful things to
have high genetic diffusion. One of the most interesting is that bacteria will
sometimes link up to other bacteria to upload a copy of their genetic codes.
(!)

There is a little bit of hope that it could last for a reasonable amount of
time, if properly handled. The issue is that organisms _can't_ adapt if the
dosage is too high. Usually adapting to a new threat requires, say, a dozen
little changes which each improve survival by 5-10%, rather than one
monolithic change which improves survival to 100%. Those combinatorics can
only work out if _most_ of the bacteria are being destroyed, not if _all_ of
them are.

Antibiotics are used this way today. Many people cancel an antibiotic regimen
when they feel better, and it's a medical disaster when they do: the
antibiotics need to be continued to the point of Total Destruction of all
bacteria in your body, which will make you feel weaker, simply so that none of
them are naturally selected to have one or two of these 5%-resistance genes.

The same thing happened with DDT and insects. There was a use of DDT --
spraying inside your house -- which had low environmental impact and which
insects could not develop resistance to, because the concentrations stay high.
This made it amazing as an antimalarial: mosquitoes just _always_ perch on
walls and wait until the night comes before they attack, and we could use this
to _always_ give them a lethal dosage.

Unfortunately, someone gave DDT to the farmers and then two things happened:
(1) DDT got into the food supply for birds, posing serious environmental
risks; and (2) insects could now receive a "partial dose" of DDT and develop
those sorts of immunities, so now there are DDT-resistant insect populations.

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gamzer
An exceptional book about cavities and health in general:

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration - A Comparison of Primitive and Modern
Diets and Their Effects

<http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/pricetoc.html>

~~~
mikecane
DOH! I also linked to that book, above, but from Australia Gutenberg.

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Tichy
I've heard such things promised for years, but somehow they never arrive. Not
sure if they are being blocked by the industry (curing diseases is bad
business), or if there are other issues. But I am not holding my breath.

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Zenst
Interesting given I read this recently
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18686179>

Which outlines how seaweed contains a enzyme which kills this very bacteria.

Now unless he is Apple, he may find it hard to get a patent Worldwide on this
as toothpastes with seaweed in already exist. Seaweed contains this magic
molecule so in many ways he is trying to patent what is already in use! :(.

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mikecane
While this is interesting for those who still have very good teeth, I'm still
hoping for a scientific method to provoke the growth of a third set of teeth:
<http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=457467>

I'm sure everyone would rather have their own rather than implants or even
caps.

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riledhel
Original in spanish [http://www.df.cl/cientificos-chilenos-patentan-molecula-
que-...](http://www.df.cl/cientificos-chilenos-patentan-molecula-que-elimina-
las-caries/prontus_df/2012-06-29/195432.html)

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tete
Doesn't Xylitol do something similar by starving them?

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol#Dental_care>

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mixmastamyk
Reminds me of the "replacement therapy" with GMO bacteria I read about several
years ago:

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caries_vaccine#Attempts_using_R...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caries_vaccine#Attempts_using_Replacement_Therapy)

<http://www.oragenics.com/?q=cavity-prevention>

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nkassis
This sounds too good to be true. But if it's true I'll submit to the trials ;p

Does anyone have more details and could comment on the validity?

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watmough
Ha! They'll get a horses head in the bed from the toothpaste companies.

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rsanchez1
So we're gonna add this to our drinking water now?

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Tichy
Only if it is available for cheap in huge quantities as a leftover waste
product, I suppose.

