New mouthwash may render cavities a thing of the past
(Medical Xpress) -- A new mouthwash developed by a microbiologist at the UCLA School of Dentistry is highly successful in targeting the harmful Streptococcus mutans bacteria that is the principal cause tooth decay and cavities.
In a recent clinical study, 12 subjects who rinsed just one time with the experimental mouthwash experienced a nearly complete elimination of the S. mutans bacteria over the entire four-day testing period. The findings from the small-scale study are published in the current edition of the international dental journal Caries Research.
Dental caries, commonly known as tooth decay or cavities, is one of the most common and costly infectious diseases in the United States, affecting more than 50 percent of children and the vast majority of adults aged 18 and older. Americans spend more than $70 billion each year on dental services, with the majority of that amount going toward the treatment of dental caries.
This new mouthwash is the product of nearly a decade of research conducted by Wenyuan Shi, chair of the oral biology section at the UCLA School of Dentistry. Shi developed a new antimicrobial technology called STAMP (specifically targeted anti-microbial peptides) with support from Colgate-Palmolive and from C3-Jian Inc., a company he founded around patent rights he developed at UCLA; the patents were exclusively licensed by UCLA to C3-Jian. The mouthwash uses a STAMP known as C16G2.
The human body is home to millions of different bacteria, some of which cause diseases such as dental caries but many of which are vital for optimum health. Most common broad-spectrum antibiotics, like conventional mouthwash, indiscriminately kill both benign and harmful pathogenic organisms and only do so for a 12-hour time period.
The overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics can seriously disrupt the body's normal ecological balance, rendering humans more susceptible to bacterial, yeast and parasitic infections.
Shi's Sm STAMP C16G2 investigational drug, tested in the clinical study, acts as a sort of "smart bomb," eliminating only the harmful bacteria and remaining effective for an extended period.
Based on the success of this limited clinical trial, C3-Jian Inc. has filed a New Investigational Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is expected to begin more extensive clinical trials in March 2012. If the FDA ultimately approves Sm STAMP C16G2 for general use, it will be the first such anti-dental caries drug since fluoride was licensed nearly 60 years ago.
"With this new antimicrobial technology, we have the prospect of actually wiping out tooth decay in our lifetime," said Shi, who noted that this work may lay the foundation for developing additional target-specific "smart bomb" antimicrobials to combat other diseases.
"The work conducted by Dr. Shi's laboratory will help transform the concept of targeted antimicrobial therapy into a reality," said Dr. No-Hee Park, dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry. "We are proud that UCLA will become known as the birthplace of this significant treatment innovation."
Provided by
University of California Los Angeles
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Nov 16, 2011
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Kudos to all involved.
Nov 16, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Nov 16, 2011
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Nov 16, 2011
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Which is to say, I'm glad they've finally developed something useful along those lines.
I know very little about dental caries. I'm curious, with the above reference to "Streptococcus mutans bacteria that is the principal cause tooth decay and cavities" (nice editing by the way), as to what percentage we're talking about.
Nov 16, 2011
Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
As always, very, very long. 10-15 years. It it's fast tracked, maybe less. And it appears that they've already completed some of it. Anyway, quite a few years for sure.
Nov 17, 2011
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Nov 17, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
According to this:
http://www.fda.go...8291.htm
Median times for approval have been 14 months in 2003 (times seem to have been steadily dropping since 1993).
Fast tracked drugs take just over 6 months. But Fast Track is restricted to critical drugs - and I'd guess a mouth wash doesn't come under that heading.
Depends on how frequently you use it. The more frequently the faster it will acquire immunity.
But it could be like Acne. The immune strain is less efficient than the non-immune one (needing more energy for defense/thicker membranes). So if you take a break from the mouthwash the old type resettle and drive out the immune strain. Then you can start using the mouthwash and it will be effective again.
Nov 17, 2011
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Thks AP.
I'll use rubbing alcohol as a mouth wash till the product becomes available and hope Streptococcus mutans doesn't acquire immunity against the alcohol. The strain will mimic humans:
Become blind from the alcohol and addicted.
For the three-year-old and underaged readers:
JOKING - do not do this!
Nov 17, 2011
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A saturated cooking salt solution is way cheaper. Just pop a soup spoon of the stuff in the mouth, stir them around for a minute or two or until you can't stand it no more, then rinse. Guaranteed to kill every kind of germs that ever lived in the mouth.
Nov 18, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
Maybe we should all just brush more often.
Nov 18, 2011
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That is way, way off. Go back to my original answer to get a better idea of what it takes. Those numbers I quoted are average numbers for a drug to go from concept to pharmacy.
Notice that 12 drugs were approved via the fast track method in 2003 (last year for data), and all of those were likely cancer or HIV drugs.
Also, new approvals have been steadily and dramatically dropping, with the exception of an uptick in (ironically) 2011.
Anyway, there's an excellent article here:
http://www.fdarev...ss.shtml
Draws its data from:
DiMasi, Joseph A., Ronald W. Hansen, and Henry G. Grabowski. 2003. The Price of Innovation: New Estimates of Drug Development Costs. Journal of Health Economics 22: 15185
Nov 18, 2011
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http://www.fda.go...8291.htm
"...is expected to begin more extensive clinical trials in March 2012"
Not easy to predict this drug's timetable. Appears this drug finds itself somewhere in the three phase clinical trials.
http://www.fda.go...ault.htm
Obviously the drug will be administered for additional clinical trials upon Investigational Drug application approval.
Health for profit just seems counter-intuitive from the perspective of the Hippocratic Oath.
That a government cover all health care is not the american way of life.
Nov 18, 2011
Rank: 1 / 5 (2)
Does it? It's been that way since the earliest medicine men said hocus-pocus prayers over injured tribesmen. Payment rendered was generally in the form of room and board; often payment methods were horrific by today's standards. For example, offering a female child.
This is not even remotely an "American" issue. The vast, vast majority of the 193 United Nations members have no health care coverage. A larger portion die of starvation and disease and no one looks twice.
America's Medicaid and Medicare systems alone are far superior to the majority, let alone the newly enacted Obamacluster plan.
Of course, why should any nation use taxpayer money for a fancy mouthwash when the same results could be obtained with a $1.00 toothbrush?
Nov 18, 2011
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Nov 18, 2011
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Your post was virtually incomprehensible but, at a guess, I'd say you were trying to suggest that this mouthwash would end childhood torture (no idea) and help offset $70 billion in dental expenditures. That remains to be proven. In any case, read what I said again: A toothbrush ALSO would do anything this mouthwash can do. Actually, I take that back. As the article clearly implies, using the toothbrush would be necessary even IF you used the mouthwash. So, it's just an additive cost and can't do anything proper brushing can't do.
Nov 19, 2011
Rank: 4 / 5 (4)
You are in child mode. And your last comment is parental mode - admonishing a lesser to bolster your own shortcomings. I responded in parental mode. The correct response from me is not to response at all. In the future I will heed my own advice. And, no doubt, you will feel the need to reply to this.
Nov 19, 2011
Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
Hey, hippie boy is back. Cool!
Well, thanks for the input as always. Not so much for the derogatory words, the insults, etc. In any case, I will try to provide a slight bit of education to save you time in the future. I don't enjoy being "contrarian" or anything else. I just say what's on my mind. And you, sadly, are so incredibly ignorant as to assume that I would really care about the crazy opinion of a lunatic poster on a website. So, I'll tell you what. If you don't like my posts, don't read them. Wow, that was tough.
One other suggestion, maybe you could do us all a favor in the future, and stick TO THE TOPIC????
Nov 20, 2011
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toothbrushes AREN'T getting the job done , and the torture is a dentists drill .
Nov 20, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
Who is "us all"? Who are you representing?
Nov 20, 2011
Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
As expected this article and "cavities" are produced by the food pyramid and sugar industry. Simply eating a small amount of Norwegian kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) prevents calculus and cavities and gum disease. Americans are sick because their bread is brominated, which is an antagonist for iodine. This manifests in thyroid disease and crazy hormone imbalances ramped in America. Other countries banned it years ago. But in USA people like NerdyGuy enjoy the prospect of profiting off of sickness his handlers create in his community.
Nov 20, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Actually, it's more to do with your lack of proper grammar, punctuation and sentence structure. For example, I think you mean "you're dense". But, let's not have your 3rd-grade writing skills be to blame when my IQ is an easier target for you.
In any case, I've been in and out of dentist's chairs my whole life. As have my children, my wife and everyone I know. Generally, no one really likes the drill, but even my kids wouldn't describe it as torture.
As for toothbrushes, they aren't getting the job done due to improper use. And this mouthwash would hardly solve user error now would it?
Nov 20, 2011
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The countless numbers of people who I have cheered on while they have referred to your inane drivel as, well....inane drivel. Many have said worse. And many are just too nice to say, but have to read your hippy banter anyway. That's the "us".
Nov 20, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Wrong. Cavities are primarily caused by S. mutans bacteria. Do you not do ANY fact checking? Ever? Silly me, what was I thinking?
Old wive's tales. Who knows, might be right.
Do you get your fiction from the backs of socialist club magazines?
Wow. Just, wow.
Wait. You didn't blame any Jews for ANYTHING in this rant. Are you starting to lose focus?
Nov 20, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Treponema and Porphyromonas (also in human poop) cause gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss, not cavities
veillonella causes cavities
fusospirochetes causes ANUG (otherwise know as trench mouth, commonly observed eating away at the mouth flesh of undernourished and immunocompromised WWI soldiers).
by the way, there is already a cure for cavities: don't drink mountain dew all day, brush and floss after breakfast and just before bed.
Jeff Canfield, DDS, Indianapolis
Nov 21, 2011
Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
1: logic: grammar cop fallacy
2: I'll trade you my childhood dentistry torture for your 'water boarding'
3: toothbrush fail vs mouthwash fail .
you lose
Nov 21, 2011
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Nov 22, 2011
Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Nov 23, 2011
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Jebus Cripes, guys. An advancement need not be a replacement to have value.
Nov 25, 2011
Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
Nov 25, 2011
Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
Hypothyroidism is epidemic in the U.S. Rstimates are that 13 million Americans have hypothyroidism, but the actual numbers are probably higher. Some experts claim that 10 to 40 percent of Americans have suboptimal thyroid function.
Many may actually have nothing wrong with their thyroid gland at all. They may just be suffering from iodine deficiency.
What's with your obsession with the chosen tribe? I somehow doubt they have such interest in you.
Nov 25, 2011
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Yet many young adults in Africa have nearly perfect teeth, despite not brushing or fluoridating. Rather the composition of their saliva naturally rebuilds enamel and prevents calculus, which is a necessary condition for cavities and gum disease.
Nov 27, 2011
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Quite incorrect. Unlike fluoride, general brushing, flossing, and existing mouthwashes, this proposal would ONLY take care of a specific microorganism. It happens to be a crucial one, however.
Well said.
Nov 27, 2011
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Truly funny stuff. No facts, no references. Enjoyed it!