One of my classmates suggested that, "You should try finding out some organisms which degrades the calculus or tartar(white stuff which usually is formed on the teeth.) and later you can extract the enzyme responsible for this degradation and make mouthwash with it." And I said "You cannot cure tooth problems by microbiology, that IMPOSSIBLE!"
What causes tooth decay? Bacteria are present on teeth. These bacteria convert sugar to lactic acid, sugar can be obtained from any source of food which you eat and it sticks/remains on your teeth. The lactic acid produced causes tooth decay.
Streptococcus mutans which is a facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive coccus-shaped bacteria. It is most commonly found in the human oral cavity and is a significant contributor to tooth decay.
So a group of scientists have engineered a genetically mutated strain of Streptococcus which do not produce lactic acid. But you may think, what about the rest of the normal flora? no worries because this strain also produces antibiotics which kill/inhibit the lactic acid producing bacteria!
Genetically altered strain of S. mutans is also called SMaRT. It is engineered to have an advantage over native S. mutans strains. It produces minute amounts of a lantibiotic that kills off the native strains but leaves the SMaRT strain unharmed.
Dont get to excited though you may not get rid of toothbrush anytime soon (:
