Time to take a break from studying
Scenario: Say you're doing research at your university's lab and you accidentally discover the holy grail of microbes that cures/fights any disease in the mouth, prevents cavities from forming, prevents/breaks down plaque, induces regrowth of the enamel, and is perfectly safe.
Twist: For most of you this may be exciting to the field of dentistry, but this discovery has a twist. If word breaks out of this discovery and is capitalized into a mouthwash by a corporation, it is projected that nearly 65% of dentists in the next five years will face unemployment, bankruptcy, and will be out of jobs. However, YOU will be filthy rich and famous.
Morals: Knowing these facts, would you immediately destroy the microbe and never tell anyone about it to save the field of dentistry? Or, would you break the news to the media, have a corporation capitilize on your findings, live the life of the rich and famous, and be hated by millions of dentists?
Blue pill or red pill.
Seriously, just stop adding fuel to the flame. These researchers need public attention that's why they are promoting this whole idea. No one has seen their research data. News stations are reporting each others' reports without seeing the data or even talking to the researchers themselves. I can't even find the Yale researcher online (a.k.a. on Yale staff directory, or by googling ) except on the news stories about this thing.
If you realize no dentist here is overly concerned. All concerned people are pre-dental students, and a few dental student ( myself included a little bit).
The reality is that the efficacy of this drug has not been established. These researchers have not even commenced human trials. I actually am leaning toward not believing this whole thing somewhat. The articles say this thing could take most of bacterial out by a single dose application for a minute. Yet, no human trials means they have not tested the hypothesis.
I seriously doubt they would take the drug themselves either. Another thing is, how have they realized these data? Have they let people eat between applications, contact other people or simply enjoy their normal life and then see how the bacteria will react? My understanding is that they have not, because they have not had permission to do so.
Say even these guys have made the most promising drug that will kill 99% of the bacteria very efficiently with a few doses even. The reality is that Colgate, P&G and whatever company produces this will put it's own business at risk. The more people use these products the less they will need tooth brushes, tooth pastes, and mouth washes in future. And that's assuming bacteria does not evolve. If it evolves, then we got nothing to worry about anyway.
Another reality is that this drug can be classified as an Antibiotic. To my understanding antibiotics need to be prescribed because of problems they may bring to other parts of the body. If that's the case the companies can't simply put it in your candy, and tooth paste.
These scenarios are all dependant on the fact that the drug itself is not harmful to the body. As with lack of clinical data, we can't establish that. Who knows maybe the drug can cause heart disease, cancer, or simply kill the good bacteria in the intestine.
All in all, no drug is perfect. No treatment is final and life is constantly changing.
Who knows, this drug could be a game changer for dentists doing treatments on patients waiting for clearing infections.
Last but not least, dentists don't do just cavity control and repair. These is gum disease issues, physical damage, TMJ, and several others. Some people don't even brush their teeth enough, and if they don't, well then this drug won't work anyway . I did a small poll right here yesterday on this highly biased dental forum, and the results show how things are :
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=932269
I don't think you will completely get satisfied with my answer, because this is a very delicate issue. But I hope it eases things a bit. Dental decay is not just dependant on one strain of bacteria; sure S. mutans is a huge one, but reality is that other bacteria could join in after one competitor is gone. Plus saliva pH and food we eat themselves might have more effect on the teeth as we know currently.
