Featured series 
Tag: Daniel J. Smith
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Health
Discovering what lives in your mouth
Your mouth is a great place for micropests to dwell. Glistening white plateaus, dark crevices, and slimy surfaces boast steamy temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The microbes bathe in a saliva-induced humidity of 100 percent, and eat a lavish diet of sugar and other carbohydrates. It’s so lush and varied, researcher Donna Mager refers to…
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Health
Will vaccine defense help polish off tooth decay?
The key to preventing cavities in teeth lies in controlling an acid-secreting bacterium known as Streptococcus mutans that lives in the mouth. Researchers at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine believe they can prevent cavities for life by vaccinating babies against S. mutans. “If we can get the babies immunized before the bacteria have had…