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Reconsider the anti-cavity bacteria if you are Asian — LessWrong

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Update: further research has led me to believe that people of all races should test themselves for ALDH deficiency before using Lumina. Even if you don't exhibit AFR symptoms when drinking alcohol, your ALDH activity may still be decreased. 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. Why would that be? Well, I, like around half of East Asians, have a mutati

x Reconsider the anti-cavity bacteria if you are Asian — LessWrong Health / Medicine / Disease Biology World Optimization Frontpage 174 Reconsider the anti-cavity bacteria if you are Asian by Lao Mein 15th Apr 2024 5 min read 43 174 Update: further research has led me to believe that people of all races should test themselves for ALDH deficiency before using Lumina. Even if you don't exhibit AFR symptoms when drinking alcohol, your ALDH activity may still be decreased. Many people in the rational sphere have been promoting Lumina/BCS3-L1, a genetically engineered bacterium, as an anti-cavity t

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