will the caries vaccine put us out of business?

[ninjajustin]

There's much talk going around about the possibility of a caries vaccine in the near future. Do you guys think this will hurt the DDS?

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[piko00]

There's much talk going around about the possibility of a caries vaccine in the near future. Do you guys think this will hurt the DDS?

Can you give a reference or something.

I wouldn't imagine it putting us out of business anytime soon. You still have to treat the population that hasn't had it. As a GP, you still have to treat failing restorations, etc. and I don't see how that would affect Ortho or OMFS. But, essentially the same thing could be said about sealants.

 

[MsPurtell]

I agree with the first answer and add to that the fact that so many people have vaccine-phobia.....even when if comes to preventing serious illness. There are a fair number of parents who would not choose this option.

There's much talk going around about the possibility of a caries vaccine in the near future. Do you guys think this will hurt the DDS?

 

[lanikai79]

Not sure if this is what the OP is referring to, but during undergrad I did some research in the lab that is pioneering STAMP technology, an antimicrobial "smart bomb" to target and eradicate S. mutans. I believe they're working on non-invasive ways to deliver it, such as mouth rinses and I've heard possibly even lollipops for kids. It's not on the market yet, but someday it might help to control caries...

Here are links to two articles (sorry, probably not the most recent):
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/october2006/10272006teeth.htm
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/24/health/webmd/main2121791.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/24/health/webmd/main2121791.shtml

Hope this helps!

 

[SquidsLife]

I think it will provide even more work for dental providers. It won't take long after introducing a vaccine for new fungal infections, a different species of
strep to take it's place or even worse a mutation into VRSM (vaccine resistant streptococcus mutans). Disrupting the micro environment is the worst possible idea when a simple change in the 20th century borne diet will suffice. In the very least, it will put even more money into the hands of pharmaceutical companies.

 

[Turnerjo13]

One of the mouth rinses that is targeting th oral biofilm is Carifree. It is currently going through University testing.

 

[overseas]

it will be better if we SHUT DOWN tHE RESEARCH :LABS!!! & those who go behind it!!!! :
or lese we te dentists will be forced to beg in te streets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : :l

 

[maksidaa]

we all have to keep in mind that as technology makes some aspects of dentistry obsolete it also will create new work for us... re-generating dental tissue via microchip implants (or something like that), disease diagnostics via saliva testing, etc etc

 

[IcemanDDS]

I think it will provide even more work for dental providers. It won't take long after introducing a vaccine for new fungal infections, a different species of
strep to take it's place or even worse a mutation into VRSM (vaccine resistant streptococcus mutans). Disrupting the micro environment is the worst possible idea when a simple change in the 20th century borne diet will suffice. In the very least, it will put even more money into the hands of pharmaceutical companies.

I agree, I dont think tampering with the oral micro environment is a good idea. We have gone thousands of years with natural flora in the mouth, and removing one of those organisms may allow others to reside and possibly create a worse condition. Its much less costly and risky to simply adopt an oral hygiene regiment and/or diet to decrease caries. Not to mention give dentists something to talk about with their patients and give them a feeling of "hey I'm getting my money's worth." Its better than "well mr. soandso, you're cavity free as always, but the ulcers caused by this new strain of H. pylori in your mouth are forcing me to refer you to my periodontist dr. newbillionaire."

 

[dinesh]

Actually, one of my professors was talking about this today.

The last time they tried it, the antibodies produced ended up attacking cardiac tissue.
No substantial research has been done on humans yet though.

And besides, if you introduce a vaccine...you ARE going to cause the emergence of a resistant strain, what then?
We aggragate an existing problem of antibiotic resistance.

 

[ptrianon]

In reference to a caries vaccine, I have always wondered how accessible tooth surfaces and plaque really are to the immune system. Any thoughts?

 

[IcemanDDS]

In reference to a caries vaccine, I have always wondered how accessible tooth surfaces and plaque really are to the immune system. Any thoughts?

IgA is produced in the saliva, so it would have to work in that way... I 'reckon so.

 

[1992Corolla]

This topic astounds me. It astounded my dad when he was in dental school. It astounded my grandpa when he was in....etc.

This, along with the rumors of implanting emryological teeth are mostly scientific fiction right now. I am not out to make anyone a fool, I am just trying to abate some ideas here.

These are interesting topics, but are so far out in left field as far as getting approved, tested, and did I mention ACTUALLY WORKING that we will likely never see them in action. FDA approval on something like this would alone take 10 years minimum + clinical research + ....etc. Plus the intricacies of the oral bacteria...destroying s. mutans (100's a different strains mind you) will not stop the problem.

While yet a great idea, and no doubt more advanced than my ancestors time, and no doubt becoming more advanced every year, we will likely never see it happen...

So keep on drilling and filling!

 

[IcemanDDS]

I actually heard that this S. mutans vaccine has been around for years, and at the dental white coat ceremony all dentists get the vaccine. So secretly, all dentists are immune to caries. Keep this hush hush!

 

[Denticized]

http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/reprint/81/1/48.pdf

Well it's stupid to underestimate technololgy. My uncle while at MIT (30 years ago) heard about email and he thought it kind of impossible for the entire public to pay for this huge infrustructure but it happened decaded afterward. So I think it is possible for carries to go away or be alleviated but there other oral diseases....however part of the business will become stagnant.

Just my opinion

 

[mmasurf]

if you know anything about bacteria you would know that you can quickly cause bacterial resistance when you bring in an antibiotic or a vaccine into that environment. there is talk about complementary peptides that can be used in toothpastes aimed at s. mutans but thats all talk now. We have a crap load of medicines and nothing is cured yet. moreover, you have the rest of the world and 70% are not even having proper oral or healthcare so you will still have a job in the future

 

[ptrianon]

http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/reprint/81/1/48.pdf

Well it's stupid to underestimate technololgy. My uncle while at MIT (30 years ago) heard about email and he thought it kind of impossible for the entire public to pay for this huge infrustructure but it happened decaded afterward. So I think it is possible for carries to go away or be alleviated but there other oral diseases....however part of the business will become stagnant.

Just my opinion

This study showed you can increase strep antigen sIgA w/ a vaccine but did not say if it was effective against s. mutans. I did a pubmed search the other day and all the studies with anti strep IgA vaccines (all mice studies i think) didn't seem to have an effect on s. mutans levels. So...s. mutans in deep plaque isn't all that accessible once it has established itself. It seems like for these vaccines to be effective you would need to vaccinate before tooth eruption (before s. mutans can colonize), and your body would have to maintain anti strep IgA throughout life to protect against infection. I dont see this kind of stuff reaching the market and actually working for quite a while. I bet sealants will reduce caries over our careers much more than a caries vaccine

 

[dinesh]

IgA is produced in the saliva, so it would have to work in that way... I 'reckon so.

IgA isn't "produced", in the saliva. What you have in saliva is Secretory IgA , which is different from IgA.

 

[1992Corolla]

That is a good study and I like the thinking. Unfortunately opinions do little against hard facts.
Twenty years ago they were no closer than they are today. Little newspapers coming out with stories like this are a dime a dozen unfortunately. They are also swayed to wards a general public who like to create a buzz every time a new 'fossil' is found or a 'caries vaccine' or a 'new monkey' etc. is written about.
Will the technology towards this advance? You bet. Will it ever produce anything..I doubt it. I guess you could call this my opinion...ironic

 

[dentofalltrades]

There's much talk going around about the possibility of a caries vaccine in the near future. Do you guys think this will hurt the DDS?

Let's say this works. I think it will change the face of dentistry, but there is no way dentists will become obsolete. There is always going to be oral health troubles and dentists will be needed to provide care. This is the same as dentists who have been practicing for 40 years. Dentistry was completely different when they started than how it is now. Change is expected in dentistry.

 

[dinesh]

All a dentist does isn't just caries removal and restorations.

Prostho, ortho, cosmetic, etc.

Why didn't the flu shot put doctors out of work?

 

[esclavo]

There's much talk going around about the possibility of a caries vaccine in the near future. Do you guys think this will hurt the DDS?

They said the same thing about toothbrushes when they were invented.....

Curious that abrasions, fractures, cracks, perio disease, impacted teeth, crooked teeth, stained teeth, ankylosed teeth, congenitally missing teeth have relatively nothing to do with bacteria......... who is going to treat all of that... and I don't see any vaccination on the horizon to treat this stuff...

 

[apaul]

They said the same thing about toothbrushes when they were invented.....

Curious that abrasions, fractures, cracks, perio disease, impacted teeth, crooked teeth, stained teeth, ankylosed teeth, congenitally missing teeth have relatively nothing to do with bacteria......... who is going to treat all of that... and I don't see any vaccination on the horizon to treat this stuff...

i think i read somewhere on the internet about a pill that would fix all of that stuff

 

[esclavo]

i think i read somewhere on the internet about a pill that would fix all of that stuff

nice avatar... how's the weather in my beloved home state? Snowed here today in Illinois....the state where you can stand on a five gallon bucket and see 25 miles in all directions, unless the corn is all grown....

 

[apaul]

i'm only in phx in spirit, i'm stuck in utah where the sun doesnt rise until 10 in the morning because of the mountains