Miracle Molecule May Defeat Cavities

Two researchers have apparently discovered a new miracle chemical that can keep your teeth cavity-free forever.

Jose Cordoba of Yale University and Erich Astudillo of Universidad de Santiago in Chile have developed a cavity prevention chemical called “Keep 32”. The “32” refers to the number of teeth in the human mouth and the “keep” refers to the chemical’s purpose: helping people keep their teeth.

Keep 32 differs from fluoride in that fluoride simply strengthens your teeth against bacteria while Keep 32 actively kills all of the cavity-causing bacteria. It’s a bit like playing offense instead of defense.

According to CBS News, Cordoba and Astudillo have been working on Keep 32 since 2005. The pair has a provisional patent on the molecule and is looking to fund human trials soon. They estimate that Keep 32 will earn $300 million in revenue within the first five years of operation.

According to Top Tech Innovations, the company that holds the patent, Keep 32 can be incorporated in everything from toothpastes and mouthwashes to dental floss and lollipops.

However, Keep 32 still has a long ways to go before it hits our store shelves. If it’s ultimately classified as an antibiotic, it first must be proved that Keep 32 limited health consequences and can be used in a wide variety of methods.

In the meantime, it’s a good idea to keep brushing with your fluoride toothpaste every day. While we may be able to kill cavity-causing bacteria in the future, fluoride is our best line of defense against tooth decay in the present.

If you’d like to schedule a dental checkup or cleaning, contact Greenspoint Dental today.