Study Shows Enzyme-based Treatment for Dental Cavities Prevention

Jul, 2021 - By SMI

A new treatment was developed by scientists to treat plaque in the mouth and prevent dental cavities by using certain enzymes for treatment.

Dental cavities are formed due to the often high-sugar diets and lax brushing habits especially in children. A new enzyme-based treatment was developed by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania. The treatment was experimented to prevent dental cavities and the plaque formed on the teeth. Plaque is the dental cavities caused by a bacterial biofilm.

Scientists said that biofilm consists of both Candida albicans fungus and Streptococcus mutans bacteria. The two are associated together through mannan molecules on the Candida cell walls. They are tied to a glycosyltransferase substance released by the microorganisms. The presence of sugars in the mouth causes glycosyltransferase to create glue-like polymers called glucans. This action leads to a difficulty in disposing the plaque even with standard brushing. The use of orally administered drugs may kill the S. mutans bacteria, though such medications don't actually impact the plaque, rather they can hurt both oral tissue and beneficial bacteria in the mouth.

The scientists experimented the enzyme treatment with the application of three different mannan-degrading enzymes over biofilms formed on a tooth-like surface. Following five minutes, scientists observed that biofilm’s thickness was reduced due to enzyme’s action to weaken the bacterial and the fungal bond that could be dispenses easily just by brushing. The enzymes also raised the pH level of the saliva enveloping the biofilm that made it less acidic and less supportive for cavity formation. The team targets to decrease the application time of the treatment down to only two minutes and also believes to have enzyme based non-alcoholic mouthwash that children could utilize reliably.