New ways to stop tooth decay in young children
Official title: A multiscale approach to develop and apply fluoride efflux inhibitors to reverse oral dysbiosis and eliminate early childhood caries
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11192320 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for new ways to stop tooth decay in young children by targeting specific germs in the mouth that cause cavities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 12, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,071,751 |
| NIH project number | 5RM1DE034220-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11192320 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is focused on understanding and treating early childhood caries, which affects children aged 0-11 years old.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without early childhood caries or those outside the pediatric age range may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Early childhood tooth decay is a major problem for many children, causing pain and affecting their health. This project aims to find new treatments that can specifically target the harmful bacteria and fungi that cause cavities, while leaving helpful germs alone. Researchers are developing special compounds called fluoride efflux inhibitors that can make fluoride more effective against these cavity-causing microbes. By understanding how these germs get rid of fluoride, we hope to create a more balanced and healthy mouth environment for children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new and more effective ways to prevent and treat early childhood tooth decay, reducing pain and improving children's overall health.
How similar studies have gone: Fluoride is a known effective agent for caries control, but this approach of specifically targeting microbial fluoride expulsion mechanisms is novel and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stockbridge, Randy B. — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Stockbridge, Randy B.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Microbial Dysbiosis and Its Role in Pancreatic Cancer
A doctor-researcher team at Northwestern University is studying how gut bacteria influence pancreatic cancer and its response to immunotherapy to find new ways to help patients.
-
From Symbiosis to Dysbiosis: How Resolving Inflammation Could Restore Your Mouth’s Balance
This grant explores how turning off the harmful inflammation in periodontitis and promoting natural healing could help restore the mouth’s healthy balance.
-
Antibiotics, gut health, and skin reactions in kids
A small study in children will look at whether antibiotic use and gut bacteria play a role in hives and related symptoms that children sometimes get after antibiotics.
-
Novel therapeutic to protect the gut after radiation
A new GI-directed treatment given after radiation exposure may reduce gut damage and improve survival in people exposed to high-dose radiation.
-
A new GI-focused treatment to reduce radiation damage after exposure
A potential GI-targeted therapy given after radiation exposure may help protect the gut and improve survival in people affected by radiation injuries.
-
How a mouth bacterium might fuel gum disease and heart risk
A small study will look at how a bacterium in the mouth that makes a reactive chemical (methylglyoxal) could drive gum inflammation and changes in the mouth’s bacteria, possibly linking to heart disease.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.