No more cavities?

[piratedental]

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Researchers have found a potential way to inhibit plaque from attaching to enamel without affecting amylase. What does this mean to dentistry?

Plaque Inhibitor http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-12/figuring-out-tooth-decay-mechanism-researchers-could-eradicate-cavities-plaque-inhibitor#comments

 

[FutureDent020]

Researchers have found a way to inhibit plaque from attaching to enamel without affecting amylase. What does this mean to dentistry?

Plaque Inhibitor http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-12/figuring-out-tooth-decay-mechanism-researchers-could-eradicate-cavities-plaque-inhibitor#comments

Dentist will have more to worry about when people stop drinking Mountain Dew and start flossing everyday. Then they might take a hit. The plaque inhibitor is interesting, but the microorganisms that cause plaque will always get stuck in proximal areas; between the dentition and gingiva; and other plaque catcher locations even with the inhibitor. The inhibitor will just aid saliva in the breakdown, unless it consequently inhibits the salivary amylase, which I believe it mentions. No worries though. Brushing and flossing will always be necessary. And people don't properly do this, so Dentist will stay in business.

 

[dentstd]

Researchers have found a way to inhibit plaque from attaching to enamel without affecting amylase. What does this mean to dentistry?

Plaque Inhibitor http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-12/figuring-out-tooth-decay-mechanism-researchers-could-eradicate-cavities-plaque-inhibitor#comments

You should learn to read. They havn't done any of that.

What they've done was to crystalize the protein. Creating an inhibitor's an another game entirely. That hasn't been done yet.

 

[piratedental]

Yeah your right. Fixed

 

[dentaldawg32]

Yeah you're right. Fixed

Fixed.

 

[dentstd]

Researchers have found a potential way to inhibit plaque from attaching to enamel without affecting amylase. What does this mean to dentistry?

Plaque Inhibitor http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-12/figuring-out-tooth-decay-mechanism-researchers-could-eradicate-cavities-plaque-inhibitor#comments

Okay, I'll bite.

It doesn't mean anything. The mouth is constantly secreting saliva and with it the means to wash everything out of the mouth. Every protein inhibitor man makes will be washed away in a matter of minutes. It's the same principle plaguing perio and its prevention of subgingival crap. Gingival crevicular fluid washes everything out.

You know what's also a good, temporary way to remove plaque?


....mouthwash. But it so happens that patient compliance is low and crap happens [inside your mouth].

 

[New2Philly]

If they do find an inhibitor, and it does work effectively the bacteria will eventually mutate their protein and it won't be inhibited anymore, much like we see with antibiotics, and bacteria now. If I am right, this could lead to the formation of "super bugs" that make a plaque that forms faster, and harder to get off of tissue.

Popsci is obviously using hyperbole to get readers....

 

[DrJeff]

Here's the economic reality of anti-cavity pills/gels/agents in general. There will be a cost associated with them, and more than likely due to the ability to transfer bugs from person to person, if you remove all the bad bugs from one's mouth, sooner or later, some spit will be swapped with a person who has the bad bugs and you've been "re-infected" and will need another dose. Chances are this won't be an over the counter drug/agent, so it will then come down to will people be willing to pay for it?? Or more than likely people will be asking if their insurance company will be willing to pay for it??

What the insurance company will do is take a look at the yearly average cost to cover their clients with this anti-cavity agent vs. what the yearly average cost for restorative dentistry is their clients. If the yearly average cost is less for restorative work (which it likely would be), then the insurance company WON'T cover the anti-cavity agent and the vast majority of people WON'T choose to spend the $$ out of pocket for it. That's the economic reality of how a large portion of the general public thinks. So I wouldn't worry too much about not having to use the handpiece to prep and restore teeth anytime soon!

 

[Noble6]

Personally, I think they'll find a way to grow back bone before they find a way to stop carious lesions.

 

[wigglytooth]

Personally, I think they'll find a way to grow back bone before they find a way to stop carious lesions.

have you heard of bone grafting (guided bone or tissue generation)? it's already being done to some extent. are you talking about using something to stimulate bone growth that's not a graft per-se? there's a lot of research in using biologics to stimulate new bone but it's not quite as successful as the grafts yet. if so, i agree, they are *much* closer to that than wiping out caries.