Development of detection kit for bad oral bacteria - a NASH factor

Abstract

Oral and systemic health are linked, with bad Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) linked to increased risk of intracerebral micro-bleeding and heart disease, and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) reports of links between periodontal disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, premature birth, and underweight birth. Dr Kentaro Nagamine, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Hiroshima International University, Japan, was involved in the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and is applying this to oral health, developing primers for LAMP of S. mutans and P. gingivalis and has also developed methods to culture oral bacteria. In one project, he is developing a detection kit for bad S. mutans (cnm gene positive S. mutans). The method he is developing is simple and effective compared to existing methods that tend to be complicated and lengthy. It involves taking a saliva sample, which is then cultured and put into the LAMP reaction solution. Then, the target gene is amplified and gene amplification is seen, this confirms that the bacteria is present. Not only can a result be obtained within two days, but the method also has the ability to amplify multiple types of bacteria. Nagamine is collaborating with a dental clinic that is utilising his method and, in the future, he hopes it can be used for dental examinations in numerous countries and regions, particularly in developing countries.