SciTech Daily reports on scientists from Israel and China who have discovered a molecule nicknamed DIM that reduces biofilms that cause dental plaque by 90%. The molecule, if added to toothpaste or mouthwash, could drastically lower the number of cavities (and dental fillings) we all face:
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in collaboration with teams from Sichuan University and the National University of Singapore, have identified that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) – a naturally occurring molecule also referred to as bisindole – can reduce biofilms responsible for plaque and cavities by a remarkable 90%.
The molecule is also found to have anti-carcinogenic properties.
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Your mouth is a great reservoir for bacteria such as S. mutans, which is believed to be one of the primary actors in dental cavities. S. mutans grows in the moist and sugary atmosphere of your mouth after food in a biofilm that coats your teeth. Biofilm generates plaque, attacks enamel, and causes cavities. The scientists found that the bisindole (DIM) disrupted that biofilm by 90% and therefore the bacterium was not given a chance to grow.
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You can read more of the dental research here, in Antibiotics.