By Dr. Nigel CarterIf there were a way to predict who would suffer from tooth decay, and who would not, before any symptoms showed, then preventing the condition would be a much easier task. New research suggests this may one day be the case.
There are several known factors that cause tooth decay, including the bacteria in the mouth, dental care routines, diet, the structure of the teeth, fluoride, salivary flow, and the makeup of saliva.Numerous previous studies have focused specifically on the influence of genetics on taste preference and dietary habits. For example, Gene Discovery and the Genetic Basis of Calcium Consumption, researched by M.G. Tordoff at the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia, analyzes how variations in genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) could explain a preference for calcium.Whereas Adam Drewnowski, Susan Ahlstrom Henderson, and Anne Barratt-Fornell consider how consumer acceptance of plant-based foods depends critically on inherited taste factors in Genetic Taste Markers and Food Preferences, Taste Genes Associated With Dental Caries takes the discussion one step further. The study, published in the September issue of the Journal of Dental Research, indicates that variations within an individual’s taste pathway genes could impact not only an individual’s preference for a particular food, but also his or her risk of suffering from tooth decay.Families recruited by the Centre for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA) gave biological samples and demographic data for the study. Researchers also clinically assessed the health of the volunteers’ mouths, including the amount of dental decay.Multiple single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays for each gene were performed and analyzed using transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis (FBAT software) for the three stages of dental development — first teeth, mixed dentition, and adult teeth.The research found that there were statistically significant connections between the taste genes TAS2R38 and TAS1R2 and the risk of decay or protection against it.Although this is an early study, it could pave the way for some interesting breakthroughs. A large amount of a dentist’s time is spent dealing with dental caries. If dental health professionals can tell in advance who is most at risk, then more preventive care can be given to protect those patients. This could be as simple as dental nurses discussing suitable dietary plans and good dental hygiene routines with patients, to ensure those at most risk are caring for their teeth correctly. It is likely this would save time during checkups and improve the efficiency of oral health care; even so, we are not quite there yet.
There are several known factors that cause tooth decay, including the bacteria in the mouth, dental care routines, diet, the structure of the teeth, fluoride, salivary flow, and the makeup of saliva.Numerous previous studies have focused specifically on the influence of genetics on taste preference and dietary habits. For example, Gene Discovery and the Genetic Basis of Calcium Consumption, researched by M.G. Tordoff at the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia, analyzes how variations in genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) could explain a preference for calcium.Whereas Adam Drewnowski, Susan Ahlstrom Henderson, and Anne Barratt-Fornell consider how consumer acceptance of plant-based foods depends critically on inherited taste factors in Genetic Taste Markers and Food Preferences, Taste Genes Associated With Dental Caries takes the discussion one step further. The study, published in the September issue of the Journal of Dental Research, indicates that variations within an individual’s taste pathway genes could impact not only an individual’s preference for a particular food, but also his or her risk of suffering from tooth decay.Families recruited by the Centre for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA) gave biological samples and demographic data for the study. Researchers also clinically assessed the health of the volunteers’ mouths, including the amount of dental decay.Multiple single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays for each gene were performed and analyzed using transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis (FBAT software) for the three stages of dental development — first teeth, mixed dentition, and adult teeth.The research found that there were statistically significant connections between the taste genes TAS2R38 and TAS1R2 and the risk of decay or protection against it.Although this is an early study, it could pave the way for some interesting breakthroughs. A large amount of a dentist’s time is spent dealing with dental caries. If dental health professionals can tell in advance who is most at risk, then more preventive care can be given to protect those patients. This could be as simple as dental nurses discussing suitable dietary plans and good dental hygiene routines with patients, to ensure those at most risk are caring for their teeth correctly. It is likely this would save time during checkups and improve the efficiency of oral health care; even so, we are not quite there yet.
Dr. Nigel Carter began practicing dentistry in 1975 after graduating from the University of Birmingham as a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. He also qualified with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh as a Licentiate in Dental Surgery. Dr. Carter became chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation in June 1997.
