Word: lactobacilli
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Dates: during 1940-1940
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Nobody knows exactly why teeth decay. Dentists generally agree on one clue to the mystery: certain acid-forming bacteria, such as lactobacilli, grow on tooth enamel, ferment crumbs of sweet and starchy foods which lodge in tooth crevices. The acid thus formed dissolves calcium in the teeth, causes cavities...
Like sweat and urine, saliva contains urea, a nitrogen compound. Dr. Stephan found that two groups of antagonistic bacteria flourish in saliva: 1) the destructive lactobacilli; 2) harmless germs of the staphylococcus family. By brewing an enzyme called urease. the staphylococci split up urea in the saliva into an ammonium compound, which neutralizes the erosive acid. Dr. Stephan's conclusion: teeth may decay when the saliva does not contain enough urea, or when the staphylococci are sluggish...
...Benjamin Frank Miller of Chicago's Zoller Memorial Dental Clinic reported that fluorine killed the bacteria which breed in mouth acids (lactobacilli), cause tooth decay. In addition, said Dr. Joseph F. Volker of the University of Rochester, fluorine enters into direct chemical combination with the teeth, strengthens them against decay...