Scientists fish out tooth protection from the sea

  AteamofscientistsfromNewcastle University are developing a new product from a marine microbe to protect dentures,teethandgumsfrombacteria in the mouth. 

They are using an enzyme isolated from a marine bacterium Bacillus licheniformis found on the surfaceofseaweedwhichtheywere originally researching for the purpose of cleaning ship hulls. 
While toothpastes are fairly effective there are still hard to reach areas leaving the bacteria in plaque able to erode the enamel of teeth leading to fillings. Nicholas Jakubovics believes better products can be made using the enzyme which will offer longer and more effective protection. 
"Plaque on your teeth is made up of bacteria which join together to colonise an area," explained Jakubovics. 
Traditional toothpastes work by scrubbing off the plaque containing the bacteria – but that's not always effective which is why people who religiously clean their teeth can still develop cavities. Work in a test tube has shown that this enzyme can cut through the plaque or layer of bacteria and we want to harness this power into a paste, mouthwash. 
    "It's an amazing phenomenon. Theenzymebreaksupandremoves the bacteria present in plaque and importantly, it can prevent the build up of plaque too," said Burgess.