20 Things You Didn’t Know About Teeth (6-10)
Monday, May 2nd, 20116. 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