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6. In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first community in the world to put flouride into its water system.  Today, two-thirds of U.S. citizens get flourinated water.

7. The next stage in fighting tooth decay? Jeffrey Hillman, professor emeritus of oral biology at the University of Florida, has begun human trials of a genetically engineered version of the oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans, which he modified to produce less acid.

8. This strain also creates an antibiotic that kills other S. mutans strains, allowing it to take over inside the mouth.

9. A study be researchers and Yale and New York University has confirmed a bit of folk wisdom: The more children a woman has, the more likely she is to have missing teeth.

10. Possible explanation: Pregnant women tend to develop gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) as hormonal shifts make the tissues more sensitive to irritation.

Source: DISCOVER Magazine

Does sugar cause tooth decay? Not exactly . . .

It was the ancient Greeks who first noticed that sweet foods had a bad effect on teeth. One Greek book called Problems asks “Why do figs, which are soft and sweet, destroy the teeth?”

Today we know that the real problem isn’t so much sugar, but the streptococcus bacteria in our mouths that like to feed on it. When they feed on the sweet treats lodged in your teeth, they excrete acids that eat away at your tooth enamel.

As it happens, the amount of sugar you eat doesn’t matter as much as the amount of time it is allowed to remain in contact with the plaque on your teeth (that’s where the bacteria hang out.) So go ahead and eat that pound of caramels—just brush your teeth afterward.

Source: © The Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu