I heard about it last weekend on the BBC TV news, and Perry, informed of the needle, was impressed. He searched the haystack, and found it for us.
A genetically modified mouthwash has been developed which could effectively eliminate tooth decay, scientists claim.
The mouth rinse contains a friendlier GM version of the bug that rots the teeth which does not produce enamel eroding acid.
When the solution is squirted into the mouth, the good bugs take over from the Streptococcus mutans bacteria and prevent them from returning.
According to the researchers, a single five-minute treatment costing less than £100 would last a lifetime.
Professor Jeffrey Hillman, from the University of Florida, said: “If this approach works as well as we hope, it has the potential to eliminate the majority of tooth decay.”
The new strain appears to stay permanently on the teeth, preventing other bugs from gaining a foothold. “It is genetically stable and should be safe for humans,” Professor Hillman added.
He hopes to start clinical trials this year, using a solution squirted on to the teeth of adult volunteers. The mouthwash would be most ideally suited to infants cutting their first teeth, he added.
Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
