Bacteria may soon be helping you to fight tooth decay and underarm stench! Chewing gum, toothpaste and deodorant may soon be added with beneficial bacteria. A new strain of lactobacillus called L. anti-caries, forces the tooth decay-causing bacteria Strepptococcus mutans to clump together — preventing them from attaching themselves to the tooth surface, thus preventing their aggressive acid from breaking down the enamel.
According to the scientists, the bacteria-added chewing gum can reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth by fifty times! Such a chewing gum is being developed by BASF ‘ the German chemical company. Mouthwash and toothpastes using the bacteria are also being developed.
