Tooth decay is an issue that most of us would prefer not to deal with. Fortunately, the creators of SMaRT Replacement Therapy have come up with an innovative solution to combat this widespread ailment: Use bacteria.
SMaRT Replacement Therapy is designed to be a painless, one-time, five-minute topical treatment applied to the teeth that has the potential to offer lifelong protection against tooth decay caused by S. mutans, the principal cause of this disease.
The creators have extensively and successfully tested the SMaRT bacterial strain, which is applied to the teeth in the procedure, for safety and efficacy in laboratory and animal models. These genetically modified bacteria are in fact extremely helpful for cleaning teeth.
So how exactly does this treatment work?
The SMaRT replacement therapy technology is based on the creation of a genetically altered strain of S. mutans, called SMaRT, which does not produce lactic acid. The SMaRT strain is engineered to have a selective colonization advantage over native S. mutans strains in that SMaRT produces minute amounts of a lantibiotic that kills off the native strains but leaves the SMaRT strain unharmed.
Thus, SMaRT Replacement Therapy can permanently replace native lactic acid-producing strains of S. mutans in the oral cavity, thereby potentially providing lifelong protection against the primary cause of tooth decay.
The process itself, the creators hope, is pain-free and easy.
A suspension of the SMaRT strain is administered using a cotton-tipped swab during a single five-minute treatment. Following treatment, the SMaRT strain should displace the native, decay-causing S. mutans strains over a six to twelve month period and permanently occupy the niche on the tooth surfaces normally occupied by native S. mutans.
Tooth decay itself is a largely preventable disease through implementation of an appropriate oral care hygiene program including brushing, flossing, irrigation, sealants and antiseptic mouth rinses. Nevertheless, tooth decay remains the most common chronic infectious disease in the world. The creators believe that SMaRT Replacement Therapy addresses the issue of patient compliance by requiring only a one-time, five-minute treatment for the potential lifelong prevention of tooth decay.
For more information about this fascinating treatment, click here.
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