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Caries also due to genetic defects Not only brushing teeth protects against tooth decay
Although health professionals are constantly warning that regular brushing is the most effective way to effectively prevent tooth decay, researchers in Switzerland have now discovered that tooth enamel genetic defects can also promote tooth decay.
Tips for dental health
When it comes to good oral hygiene, it is often emphasized how important the diet is. Not only the reduction of sugar consumption, but also the protective function of certain foods. For example, research has shown that beetroot juice is used to prevent tooth decay and vegetable juice from rocket salad, spinach and chard is also good for good dental health. As the most important contribution to the protection against tooth decay, however, the teeth brushing applies. But for some people, that does not seem to be enough.
Regular brushing is important to protect against tooth decay. However, scientists have now found that even genetic defects in the enamel may favor the formation of caries. (Image: tournee / fotolia.com) Mutated genes can lead to defects in the enamel
Life is often unfair: while some people always diligently brush their teeth and still get tooth decay, others do not take it so well with oral hygiene and have no holes.
Even though both have bacteria on the tooth surface that can attack the enamel. However, researchers from the University of Zurich have now found that tooth decay is not only caused by bacteria.
As reported by the Swiss university in a communication, mutated genes can lead to defects in the enamel and thus contribute to caries development.
Tooth decay is not just related to bacteria
The two teams from the Center for Dentistry and the Institute of Molecular Biology identified a gene complex responsible for the formation of enamel.
They were able to show that mice with changes in the genome of certain enamel proteins had defects in the teeth. Hardness and composition of the enamel could, according to the scientists, affect the progression of caries.
"We have shown that tooth decay is not only related to bacteria, but also related to tooth resistance," said Thimios Mitsiadis, professor of oral biology at the Center for Dentistry.
Significantly improve oral health
Bacteria and their toxic products could easily invade an enamel with a less stable structure. This leads to carious lesions, even if the oral hygiene is respected.
An understanding of the molecular biology of enamel development and the effects of mutations that lead to enamel defects opens up new possibilities for caries prevention, according to the researchers.
"Thanks to new products that prevent the progression of dental caries in defective enamel, we will be able to significantly improve the oral health of those affected," added the expert. (Ad)