Is Tooth Decay Really Caused by Mutans Streptococci?

History of Streptococci Mutans and Cavities

A long time ago, some people thought that tooth decay was caused by worms. I suppose they saw that worms ate apples, and then concluded that perhaps microscopic worms were what ate holes in our teeth. Today the modern theory of tooth decay is nearly identical, but rather than believing that worms cause cavities, we believe wrongly that cavities simply happen from the outside of the tooth inward, due to the acid waste products of bacteria called Streptococci Mutans.

A researcher by the name of Clark isolated S. Mutans in 1924. He thought they were a mutant form of the known streptococcus bacteria, so he called it, Streptococcus Mutans. Interestingly the original research associated the Streptococcus Mutans with human physiological decay, and not with tooth decay. This original finding allows us to see the key of the real role of the Streptococcus Mutans in relation to dental decay, which is that Streptococcus Mutans exist in a dormant state and that when the body is in a process of deterioration they become more prevalent. In plain language, we get more bacteria associated with tooth decay because our body is disintegrating (due to nutrient devoid foods).

Everyone Has Streptococcus Mutans

Streptococcus Mutans is a natural bacteria in the body. There are different forms of it, with certain forms being associated with tooth decay and other forms not being associated with tooth decay. For example, Tanzanian children immune to cavities (because of their diet) had Streptococcus Mutans. This confused researchers because they refused to look at the fact that diet is the cause of tooth decay, not Streptococcus Mutans.

Bacteria Evolve and Change based on the Environment

Antoine Bechamp, a French chemist, discovered microzymas, around the year 1869, little particles of life that exist in a dormant state. Further he found that these particles evolve and change based upon their environment. Bacteria in our mouths do not cause disease. Rather they have the same function as bacteria in soil: they rebuild dead or diseased tissues. It is known that they will not attack healthy tissue. Bacteria are vital to life and its processes. The presence of Streptococcus Mutans in someone's mouth who has tooth decay is the result of, and not the cause of, tooth decay.

Blaming Streptococcus Mutans for disease is a convenient way to ignore the real cause of tooth decay: our lifestyle habits. The food that we eat (and the exposure to toxic elements) in the world will cause, and if used correctly can cure, tooth decay.

Tooth Decay Bacteria Article Sources

(MICROBIOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Dec. 1986, p. 353-380 Vol. 50, No. 4 Copyright (C) 1986, American Society for Microbiology
Role of Streptococcus mutans in Human Dental Decay
WALTER J. LOESCHE
Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry and Department of Microbiology and Immunology,)

J DENT RES 1994; 73; 672 J. van Houte
Role of Micro-organisms in Caries Etiology