Scientists Discover New Species Of Mouth Bacteria

Mon, 18 Aug 2008

A new species of bacteria in the mouth has been discovered by a team of UK scientists which could be used to help combat tooth decay and gum disease and to improve treatments .

The team stumbled across three unknown strains of bacteria known as Prevotella while studying healthy tissue and tumours in the mouth. The scientists named the new species Prevotella histicola.

The Prevotella species are already associated with various oral diseases, as well as infections in other parts of the body.

Commenting on the finding, Professor William Wade of King's College London Dental Institute, said: "Interestingly this species was isolated from within the oral tissues, both in oral cancers and normal, healthy tissue."

"This confirms other work showing that oral bacteria can invade both tissues and individual cells," he revealed.

Prof Wade added that understanding the composition of the oral microbes will also help scientists develop new preventive measures and treatments for oral diseases .

Full details of the discovery can be found published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology .
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