‘Smart Bomb’ Mouthwash: The Laziest Dental Development Yet

Complaining about dental work is kind of like complaining about aeroplane food or your wife’s cooking — best to just avoid it unless you’re feeling Dangerfieldian. And UCLA’s got an experimental new “smart bomb” mouthwash it says might keep you out of the dentist’s chair with just once rinse every four days.

The new mouthwash specifically targets S. mutans, the bacteria that causes tooth decay and cavities. And the study at UCLA showed that in a dozen participants who only rinsed once over four days with the new super-mouthwash, it was almost entirely wiped out. Zeroing in on just the one strand of bacteria is key, since broad spectrum antibiotics can be harmful to your immediate health, as well as cause drug-resistant super bugs.

The researchers hope that they can develop similar drugs to target other types of bacteria, but the no cavities thing is great news for those among us prone to crawling into a hole for a day or eight with a gaming console and a keg of Mountain Dew. [UCLA via CBS]

Image: Shutterstock/Keith Publicover