Page 15 - Fall2010

Caustic Commentary

results of this year’s survey were announced at the Institute for coccus mutans that prevents the natural strain from colonizing
Food Technology’s annual conference (sponsored by Kraft, Con on the teeth (About.com.biology, February 10, 2000). What this
Agra, Bunge, Tate & Lyle and numerous manufacturers of food mutated bacteria will do to our gut flora is anybody’s guess, but
ingredients), held in Chicago in July. This year about 48 percent we’re predicting it will do nothing to reduce tooth decay.
of consumers said they consider but-
ter to be healthier than margarine, AN INCONVENIENT MUTATION
because it is “more natural”—a result Despite over 50 years of population-
that must have the oil industry wor- wide vaccination, whooping cough
ried. However, when a margarine incidence is on the rise. Although
brand carries a health claim, 60 per- Bordetella pertussis is considered
cent said they considered it healthier the main causative agent of whooping
than butter. According to the United cough in humans, another infection
Soybean Board, this response indi- agent, called Bordetella paraper-
cates “an opportunity for margarine tussis, is becoming more common.
manufacturers to educate via product The widely used acellular whooping
packaging.” Watch for a big push for cough vaccines (aP) are comprised
more health claims for margarine and solely of B. pertussis antigens, which
spreads. The butter versus margarine are not effective against B. parap-
contest is not one the industry wants ertussis. Moreover, new research
to lose (www.dairyreporter.com, July shows that aP vaccination clears B.
22, 2010). pertussis but results in an approxi-
mately forty-fold increase in B. par-
BLAMING GERMS apertussis lung colony-forming units
Over sixty years ago, Weston Price (CFUs). Furthermore, aP vaccination
demonstrated the effects of pro- impedes host immunity against B.
cessed foods on our teeth, noting parapertussis—measured as reduced
that the foods of commerce displaced lung inflammatory and neutrophil
nutrient-dense native foods that kept responses, indicating that widespread
our teeth in a good state of health. aP vaccination can create hosts more
Price showed that cavities, infection susceptible to B. parapertussis in-
and other dental problems were a sign fection (http://rspb.royalsocietypub-
of malnutrition, a concept that found lishing.org/content/277/1690/2017.
wide acceptance, as illustrated by an abstract). In other words, Mother
early New Zealand health depart- Nature bats last.
ment announcement (right). Today,
however, nutrition has taken a back AT A PHARMACY NEAR YOU
seat to the germ theory. Modern But vaccinations are enormously
dentists believe that when you eat a profitable, not only for the drug
meal, the bacteria that help to digest companies that make them but also
the food and sugar left on your teeth for those who administer them.
and gums produce lactic acid, which Vaccine margins are 30-50 percent,
breaks down tooth enamel and leads assuming that the stores aren’t stuck
to cavities. This explanation begs the with leftover vaccine, which can’t be
question of why some people get cavi- returned. During this weak economy,
ties while others don’t, since all of us have hundreds of species when revenues from prescription sales have dropped, drugstores
of bacteria in our mouths. Streptococcus mutans is considered are pushing flu vaccinations earlier and harder than ever. CVS
the most cariogenic (promotes tooth decay) of these bacteria, and and Rite Aid have increased the number of pharmacists quali-
scientists are working on a genetically altered strain of Strepto- fied to administer the shots, and are promoting them through

FALL 2010 Wise Traditions 15