Transplanting bacteria from the mouths of donors with healthy teeth through toothpaste or gel could be the next leap forward in treating tooth decay.
The oral microbiome - the collection of bacteria that naturally occupies the human mouth - contains over 700 bacteria and a healthy microbiome reduces the risk of oral health problems including tooth decay.
Transplanting the bacteria from the mouths of healthy donors could therefore boost microbiome health in patients at risk from tooth decay, University of Adelaide researcher Peter Zilm says.
