New Bacterium Responsible for Dental Caries Is Revealed

The bacterial species Streptococcus mutans has long been identified as the main culprit in the development of dental caries. However, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and the Adams School of Dentistry and Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered that Selenomonas sputigena also significantly increases the risk of tooth decay. Known for its role in contributing to periodontal diseases, the researchers revealed that S. sputigena partners with S. mutans to increase the bacterium’s ability to cause caries. The study was published in Nature Communications. Click here to read more.