Post by dahduh on Nov 29, 2009 10:18:43 GMT
Here's a little snippet out of the December issue of Scientific American:
So that's pretty clever: just modify a gene in this one bacteria, and bingo, tooth decay disappears.
In this age of fluoride toothpaste and dental care, we forget just how much misery and suffering tooth decay has caused through the ages. People have died in misery from bad teeth. So my question is this: why did God permit this gene in S. mutans to produce lactic acid, when it could have been something benign? Something that not only enabled the bacteria to survive better than the lactic acid strain, but would also do away with so much human suffering? Surely a loving and benevolent God would have intervened in this small way without impacting on anyone's free will?
I know I would!
Bacterial toothpaste
Streptococcus mutans bacteria in the mouth decay teeth by converting sugars into enamel-eroding lactic acid. Florida-based Oragenics has genetically engineered a new strain of bacteria that converts sugars to trace amounts of alcohol instead. Because the new strain permanently displacess natural S. mutans, the therapy, which is currently in clinical trials, will be available as a onetime prescription that will protect teeth for life.
Streptococcus mutans bacteria in the mouth decay teeth by converting sugars into enamel-eroding lactic acid. Florida-based Oragenics has genetically engineered a new strain of bacteria that converts sugars to trace amounts of alcohol instead. Because the new strain permanently displacess natural S. mutans, the therapy, which is currently in clinical trials, will be available as a onetime prescription that will protect teeth for life.
So that's pretty clever: just modify a gene in this one bacteria, and bingo, tooth decay disappears.
In this age of fluoride toothpaste and dental care, we forget just how much misery and suffering tooth decay has caused through the ages. People have died in misery from bad teeth. So my question is this: why did God permit this gene in S. mutans to produce lactic acid, when it could have been something benign? Something that not only enabled the bacteria to survive better than the lactic acid strain, but would also do away with so much human suffering? Surely a loving and benevolent God would have intervened in this small way without impacting on anyone's free will?
I know I would!