Plant Metabolite Discovery Serves Dental Healthcare Soon
“In simple terms, biofilms are communities of microorganisms, like bacteria or fungi, that stick together and form a protective layer on surfaces,” said Katayoon Dehesh, distinguished professor of molecular biochemistry at UCR, and corresponding author of a study about the discovery.
“You’ve probably seen them as the slimy layer on river rocks or the plaque on your teeth. While they’re a natural part of many ecosystems, biofilms can cause big problems.”
– Jingzhe Guo, Wilhelmina T Van De Ven, Aleksandra Skirycz, Venkatesh P. Thirumalaikumar, Liping Zeng, Quanqing Zhang, Gerd Ulrich Balcke, Alain Tissier, Katayoon Dehesh. An evolutionarily conserved metabolite inhibits biofilm formation in Escherichia coli K-12. Nature Communications, 2024; 15 (1)
The Sugar Coated Calamity Corrupting Our Oral Health
Dentists know this to be true because we see it every working day of our lives. Serious gum disease is a scourge negatively affecting humanity, which we now know is linked to a raft of serious ailments and health conditions. The wanton disregard for oral health displayed by processed food manufacturers over decades and decades has condemned millions of people to years of bad teeth and suffering. Sugar laden foods and drinks are damaging the health of human beings. Billion dollar advertising budgets for these unhealthy sugary foods overwhelm the weak efforts by government health departments to do anything about the massive problem. Vulnerable children are putty in the hands of these slick marketing strategies globally.
“In 2023, the sugar and confectionary products industry in the United States spent slightly over 627 million U.S. dollars on advertising, up from 543.6 million dollars a year earlier. That represents an annual increase of over 15 percent.”
– Statista.com
“Cancer Council research reveals the staggering $129.5M advertising spend by the sugary drink industries vastly outweighs investment in public health advertising in Australia, enticing young Australians to consume these unhealthy products. Total advertising expenditure on sugary drinks alone reached more than $129.5M over two years, around five times the level of government investment ($26.5M) in public health campaigns promoting healthy eating, physical activity and obesity prevention combined. The study found that at least 80 per cent of the advertising spend promoting sugary drinks could be visible to kids going about their daily lives, with nearly half (45%) of advertising budget spent on TV advertising and more than a third (35%) on out of home advertising.”
– Cancer.org.au
“Research from the Australian Dental Association (ADA) found two-thirds of Australians don’t visit the dentist yearly, due to affordability concerns. Up to 63 per cent cited high cost as the reason for delays.”
– ABC.net.au
The Australian attitude of suck it and see is not serving the community well in this regard. Poor dietary habits are costing families and the nation billions. The situation is worse in Indigenous and regional parts of Australia. Indifference and neglect from wealthier Australians will only cut if for so long. We are already hearing the cries about youth crime, especially in parts of the NT and Queensland. You do not have to be a genius to put two and two together.
The Science Of Stopping Biofilms From Forming
Medical devices which are implanted like catheters, as mentioned, will be better off with this new biotechnology stopping bacterial infections.
“In medical settings, biofilms grow on devices like catheters, stents, or implants, making infections harder to treat because the microbes in biofilms are highly resistant to antibiotics. In industrial contexts, they clog pipes, contaminate food processing equipment, and cause corrosion.”
– Science Daily