this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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Science

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Scientists Discover Natural Molecule That Eradicates Plaques and Cavities (scitechdaily.com)
submitted 1 year ago by Bobo@lemm.ee to c/science@beehaw.org
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Scientists have discovered that the molecule DIM reduces biofilms causing dental plaque by 90%. Its addition to toothpaste and mouthwash could revolutionize dental hygiene. 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) decreased the Streptococcus mutans biofilm, a leading contributor to plaque and cavities, by 90%.

A significant portion of the global population experiences persistent issues with dental plaque and cavities or will face them at some time. While toothpaste, mouthwash, and routine dental visits help in prevention, there’s always room for improvement.

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in collaboration with teams from Sichuan University and the National University of Singapore, have identified that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) – a naturally occurring molecule also referred to as bisindole – can reduce biofilms responsible for plaque and cavities by a remarkable 90%.

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[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Looks like it's being already sold for other uses.

That said this is concerning:

Interestingly, neither higher nor lower concentrations showed inhibition, and only 0.5 µM was an effective concentration at retaining apparent anti-biofilm properties against S. mutans.

It could mean that the effect wasn't really due to DIM or that dosing has to be pretty accurate to have the desired effect.

[–] lvxferre@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

Yeah, this requirement of a very specific dosage is weird. Usually higher dosage means stronger effect, so it might be something else instead. That's a shame.