Dentistry Today: Oragenics – Development of a Dental Caries Vaccine

Oragenics Betting on Dental Cavity Vaccine

H.S. Ayoub submits: Shares of Oragenics Inc (ONI) jumped more than 30% on Monday as the company released its third quarter numbers, and research update.

BHI’s recent article on investing in the dental industry completely failed to mention Oragenics, even though its focus is exactly the kind of future technology that could give dental research a financial boost.

The little Florida biotech company is dedicated to researching and developing various antibody mediating therapies for human infections and other conditions, with primary focus on the oral cavity and periodontal tissues.

And why not develop an anti-caries vaccine? After all, dental caries (decay) is a bacterially transmitted contagious disease.

The biotechnology is in place and the mechanisms of the disease are being investigated and published.

The company’s most exciting product is MU1140, an oral antibiotic treatment that has the potential of immunizing humans against dental caries, commonly known as cavities.

The potential for such a treatment is tremendous. Imagine dental caries being eradicated much like polio, and other childhood conditions, through an immunization!

Oragenics also boasts an impressive lineup of research candidates, including mouth rinses shown to control many of the main disease causing bacterial species found in the human oral cavity.

If not Oragenics, then another company and set of investigators will develop, market and distribute a viable anti-caries vaccine within Flap’s lifetime.

Stay tuned…….

Disclosure: Flap does not own any Biotechnology or Oragenics stock.

Technorati Tags: Caries, Vaccine, Oragenics, Mutacin1140

3 Comments

Jana

November 14, 2006 at 7:22 pm

Hi there, I “found” you on Under the News, and I’m interested in discussing this anti-carries vaccine. You say that cavities are caused by contagious bacteria? NOT by lousy brushing and flossing? NOT by lousy diet? NOT by a complete lack of exercise and sunlight? Are you telling me that I could (potentially) innoculate my granddaughter against cavities, and she could never (potentially) brush or floss her teeth again, and she’d get NO cavities? I’m assuming you’re thought process includes gums and roots also?
I find this pretty silly. With all the fat and processed foods being consumed by our youngster nowadays and with detectable heart disease and obesity issues in children, why isn’t it more in the interest of the fat American to develope a vaccine to stop the body from absorbing fat and thus eliminate obesity and heart and lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, various tumors, multitudes of cancers, gout, depression, etc…? Afer all, we’re slowly learning that cigarettes really are bad for us. If there were no disease or cancers, what will all those poor doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, medical research facilities, hospice and rehab centers, not to mention funeral homes and coffin makers do?? All those fat kids of today are work for all these companies tomorrow.
If this Oragenics company (or some other company) removes all those dental carries from the mouths of all those fat little kids, what are YOU doing to do in the future?

Flap

November 14, 2006 at 9:05 pm

Jana,

Tooth decay or dental caries are caused by bacteria (Stretococcus mutans for one) that produce lactic acid that destroy the tooth enamel, and then the dentin. It is an infectious bacterially transmitted disease.

I direct you to the American Dental Association site where all of these issues are discussed in detail: http://ada.org/public/topics/decay.asp.

Tooth brushing, flossing and good diet are important for general health as well as good dental health. However, a vaccine against dental decay will help people immensely.

And what will ol’ Flap do if there are no more teeth to drill?

Journalism, what else?

Jana

November 16, 2006 at 9:06 am

Well, maybe you should consider political life, =-). I appreciate what brushing, flossing and diet do for dental as well as general health.
My question (which you avoided) was that you appear to be promoting a (potential) vaccine that will eliminate (potentially) the need to brush, floss and regulate diet.

FYI, I floss, brush and regulate my diet. I have a large number of silver fillings from the olden days before sealants. One filling disintegrated and took the side of the tooth with it, and I’m now the proud owner of a crown, which is a poor color match and doesn’t line up with the upper tooth that well either. My dentist of course would like to put in more of those thousand dollar babies. I would like the fillings removed and replaced with something else that isn’t slowly leeching heavy metal poisoning into my system. The reason that hasn’t started of course is the likelihood that the removal of the fillings will break the teeth apart (whether by accident or not) and I’ll end up with crowns anyway, or something worse than ugly metal fillings. Thanks for your response and I’ll hope to chat about teeth with you more in the future.

Jana

November 14, 2006 at 7:22 pm

Hi there, I “found” you on Under the News, and I’m interested in discussing this anti-carries vaccine. You say that cavities are caused by contagious bacteria? NOT by lousy brushing and flossing? NOT by lousy diet? NOT by a complete lack of exercise and sunlight? Are you telling me that I could (potentially) innoculate my granddaughter against cavities, and she could never (potentially) brush or floss her teeth again, and she’d get NO cavities? I’m assuming you’re thought process includes gums and roots also?
I find this pretty silly. With all the fat and processed foods being consumed by our youngster nowadays and with detectable heart disease and obesity issues in children, why isn’t it more in the interest of the fat American to develope a vaccine to stop the body from absorbing fat and thus eliminate obesity and heart and lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, various tumors, multitudes of cancers, gout, depression, etc…? Afer all, we’re slowly learning that cigarettes really are bad for us. If there were no disease or cancers, what will all those poor doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, medical research facilities, hospice and rehab centers, not to mention funeral homes and coffin makers do?? All those fat kids of today are work for all these companies tomorrow.
If this Oragenics company (or some other company) removes all those dental carries from the mouths of all those fat little kids, what are YOU doing to do in the future?
Flap

November 14, 2006 at 9:05 pm

Jana,

Tooth decay or dental caries are caused by bacteria (Stretococcus mutans for one) that produce lactic acid that destroy the tooth enamel, and then the dentin. It is an infectious bacterially transmitted disease.

I direct you to the American Dental Association site where all of these issues are discussed in detail: http://ada.org/public/topics/decay.asp.

Tooth brushing, flossing and good diet are important for general health as well as good dental health. However, a vaccine against dental decay will help people immensely.

And what will ol’ Flap do if there are no more teeth to drill?

Journalism, what else?
Jana

November 16, 2006 at 9:06 am

Well, maybe you should consider political life, =-). I appreciate what brushing, flossing and diet do for dental as well as general health.
My question (which you avoided) was that you appear to be promoting a (potential) vaccine that will eliminate (potentially) the need to brush, floss and regulate diet.

FYI, I floss, brush and regulate my diet. I have a large number of silver fillings from the olden days before sealants. One filling disintegrated and took the side of the tooth with it, and I’m now the proud owner of a crown, which is a poor color match and doesn’t line up with the upper tooth that well either. My dentist of course would like to put in more of those thousand dollar babies. I would like the fillings removed and replaced with something else that isn’t slowly leeching heavy metal poisoning into my system. The reason that hasn’t started of course is the likelihood that the removal of the fillings will break the teeth apart (whether by accident or not) and I’ll end up with crowns anyway, or something worse than ugly metal fillings. Thanks for your response and I’ll hope to chat about teeth with you more in the future.