Chewing gum which fights tooth decay

Consumers will soon be able to buy a chewing gum which contains friendly bacteria which can help prevent tooth decay.

A chemical company have discovered a new strain of Lactobacillus called L. anti-caries, which binds to the bacteria responsible for tooth decay.

It seems the good bacteria Lactobacillus can destroy the bad bacteria Strepptococcus mutans that cause tooth decay and bad breath.

The chewing gum is one of several products being developed by German company BASF and uses the bacteria which is normally found in live yoghurt.

The bad bacteria Streptococcus mutans stick to the surface of teeth, where they produces an aggressive acid that breaks down the enamel.

The good bacteria in the gum make the Streptococcus mutans clump together, and prevents them from becoming attached to the tooth surface.

Apparently tests have shown that the chewing gum can reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth by as much as fifty times.

According to Stefan Marcinowski, the executive director of research at BASF, the Lactobacillus product is due to hit supermarkets in 2007, but whether that is in the form of chewing gum is not confirmed.

However Marcinowski does say the chewing gum 'has been tested on large numbers of people and demonstrated the ability to significantly reduce bacterial levels.'

A new range of toothpastes and mouthwashes using L. anti-caries are also being developed.

Other tests have already shown that chewing gums containing the artificial sweetener xylitol, which has antimicrobial properties, also appears to suppress the bacteria that fight tooth decay.

Friendly bacteria, normally found in live yoghurt, are already purported to be good for treating bowel conditions.

There are other potential uses of for Lactobacillus including the prevention of body odour and BASF are looking at producing a deodorant based on L. aladoris, which can inhibit odour-producing bacteria in the armpit while tests have shown another strain, L. ala-odoris can reduce odour formation in feet.

Dentists do advise however that the gum will not remove the need to brush the teeth as their action is targeted against just one bacterium, and they say the best way to keep teeth in good condition is to clean them regularly and have a regular check up at the dentist once every six months.