Of all of the professions at risk of disruption from technology, dentists don't often make the top of the list. However, a new technology from China promises to create a vaccine for caries, and no, it doesn't involve tokenising for the hell of it.
There has been significant research over the years in using bacteriophages to destroy tooth-rotting bacteria in the mouth, but maintaining sterility of that single strain, whilst not killing other healthy bacteria, remains a challenge.
This latest development, however, sidesteps the need to destroy bacteria, by simply making the body more reactive to the specific bacteriological threat from Streptococcus mutans.
Having teeth drilled and pulled is a universally disagreeable experience, and perhaps this will lead to healthier cleaner teeth overall, with much less build-up of calculum biofilm also.