My understanding is that cavities are formed because the very local pH on that particular sub-part of the tooth is below 5.5. IIUC teeth can’t get cancer. Are you imagining Lumina colonies on the gums having this effect there, the Lumina colonies on the teeth affecting the general oral environment (which I think would require more calculation than just comparing to the hyper-local cavity environment) or am I misunderstanding something?
I was thinking of areas along the gum-tooth interface having a local environment that normally promote tooth demineralization and cavities. After Lumina, that area could have high chronic acetaldehyde levels. In addition, the adaption of oral flora to the chronic presence of alcohol could increase first-pass metabolism, which increases acetaldehyde levels locally and globally during/after drinking.
I don’t know how much Lumina changes the general oral environment, but I think you might be able to test this by seeing how much sugar you can put in your mouth before someone else can smell the fruity scent of acetaldehyde on your breath? I’m sure someone else can come up with a better experiment.
Thanks, this is interesting.
My understanding is that cavities are formed because the very local pH on that particular sub-part of the tooth is below 5.5. IIUC teeth can’t get cancer. Are you imagining Lumina colonies on the gums having this effect there, the Lumina colonies on the teeth affecting the general oral environment (which I think would require more calculation than just comparing to the hyper-local cavity environment) or am I misunderstanding something?
I was thinking of areas along the gum-tooth interface having a local environment that normally promote tooth demineralization and cavities. After Lumina, that area could have high chronic acetaldehyde levels. In addition, the adaption of oral flora to the chronic presence of alcohol could increase first-pass metabolism, which increases acetaldehyde levels locally and globally during/after drinking.
I don’t know how much Lumina changes the general oral environment, but I think you might be able to test this by seeing how much sugar you can put in your mouth before someone else can smell the fruity scent of acetaldehyde on your breath? I’m sure someone else can come up with a better experiment.