Enzyme find could give brush-off to tooth decay

They used an enzyme isolated from the marine bacterium Bacillus licheniformis which they were originally researching for cleaning ships’ hulls.

Instead, the Newcastle University team will tell the Society for Applied Microbiology Summer Conference that it could have a range of medical applications, including teeth cleaning.

While toothpastes are effective, there are still hard-to-reach areas between teeth where the bacteria in plaque can erode enamel, causing cavities.

Dr Nicholas Jakubovics of Newcastle University’s School of Dental Sciences believes better products offering more effective treatment can be made using the enzyme. He said: “Plaque on your teeth is made up of bacteria which join together to colonise an area in a bid to push out any potential competitors.

“Traditional toothpastes work by scrubbing off the plaque containing the bacteria, but that’s not always effective – which is why people who religiously clean their teeth can still develop cavities.

“Work in a test tube has shown that this enzyme can cut through the plaque or layer of bacteria and we want to harness this power into a paste, mouthwash or denture cleaning solution.”

When threatened, bacteria shield themselves in a slimy protective barrier known as a biofilm.

It is made up of bacteria held together by a web of extracellular DNA which binds the bacteria to each other and to a solid surface – in this case in the plaque around the teeth and gums. The biofilm protects the bacteria from attack by brushing, chemicals or even antibiotics.

But after studying Bacillus licheniformis, which is found on the surface of seaweed, Newcastle University scientists found that when the bacteria want to move on, they release an enzyme which breaks down the external DNA. .

Professor Grant Burgess, who led the research, said: “If we can contain [the enzyme] within a toothpaste we would be creating a product which could prevent tooth decay.”