Reconsider the Anti-Cavity Bacteria If You Are Asian
5th August 2025
Many people in the rational sphere have been promoting Lumina/BCS3-L1, a genetically engineered bacterium, as an anti-cavity treatment. However, none have brought up a major negative interaction that may occur with a common genetic mutation.
In short, the treatment works by replacing lactic acid generating bacteria in the mouth with ones that instead convert sugars to ethanol, among other changes. Scott Alexander made a pretty good FAQ about this. Lactic acid results in cavities and teeth demineralization, while ethanol does not. I think this is a really cool idea, and would definitely try it if I didn’t think it would significantly increase my chances of getting oral cancer.
The Scot Alexander FAQ has Fashionable Web Site Design Disease, a combination of background color and type colors that are probably artistic but make it almost impossible to read, unless you use Safari Reader or actually print it on paper first. You have been warned.
Extract from the FAQ:
To move beyond the demographic of people willing to fly to Prospera and pay $20,000, Lantern will need FDA permission. The FDA has already set unreachable standards for any drug approval study, so Aaron wants to try a different route.
The FDA has lower standards for probiotics than for drugs. And technically, a bacterium which you take in order to change your natural microbiome is a probiotic. The genetic modifications are no disqualification; a few genetically-modified probiotics have already been approved. Some are almost as creative as Lumina: Zbiotics is a genetically engineered Bacillus species which sits in your stomach and (supposedly; I have not investigated this claim) prevents hangovers by metabolizing alcohol byproducts for you.
ALSO: Updates on Lumina Probiotic
ALSO: More thoughts and information from Yishan Wong
I have purchased a dose of this and once my current dental machinations are finished and I have had my next Thorough Cleaning I intend to try it.