Scientists discover prescription to stop tooth decay without killing oral bacteria

New research could put an end to the problem of tooth cavities, as scientists are now developing formulations that can prevent tooth decay in caries without necessarily killing oral bacteria. They are working on a new type of formulation that utilizes cerium nanoparticles applied to teeth in the dental clinic.

Russell Pesavento, Ph.D. and the project’s principal investigators, say that caries are usually already formed and people go to the dentist for oral care after the caries erode their teeth. Given this premise, they wanted to find a way to prevent caries from forming without harming the bacteria in the mouth.

Pessavent explained that there are more than 700 species of bacteria in the mouth. This includes both good and bad bacteria. The beneficial ones not only play a major role in the digestion of food, but also keep away other microorganisms. Worse are harmful Streptococcus species, including Streptococcus mutans.

Bad bacteria attach to teeth and grow immediately after cleaning. In addition, sugar in the mouth gives bacteria an energy source. Gradually, the microorganisms form a tough film on the teeth that cannot be easily removed by brushing. When bacteria metabolize sugar, the by-product is acid, which dissolves tooth enamel and causes tooth decay.

The team at Pessavent has found a way to stop this process. They made the nanoparticles by dissolving sulfate in water. Next, they tested the cerium oxide nanoparticle solutions in bacteria and found that their formulation reduced biofilm growth by 40 percent.

“The benefit of our treatment is that it doesn’t seem to harm the oral bacteria and often doesn’t kill them,” Pesavento said. Medical express.. The formulations prevented microorganisms from attaching to the surface and forming biofilms.

While dentists and consumers may fight caries using products such as stannous fluoride, which controls plaque, and silver nitrate, which helps prevent caries, researchers continue to use it to reduce bacterial resistance and bacterial resistance. He pointed out that it could lead to tooth contamination. Pesavent emphasized how to kill both good and bad bacteria.

The findings of Pesavent and the team will be presented at the American Chemistry Society (ACS) Fall 2020 Virtual Conference & Expo, which begins Monday and ends Thursday.