Good news if you want to save a trip to the dentist to fill those cavities. Scientists from Berlin's biotech lab Organo Balance claim to have developed a candy that doesn't cause you to hide your smiles anymore.

Apparently, tooth decay and cavities are caused by a bacteria in food called Streptococcus mutans. It attaches to the surface of your teeth and slowly releases an acid that disolves away the enamel. But then, there's another type of bacteria called Lactobacillus paracasei that has a sugar on its surface. It binds to Stretococcus mutans and prevents it from attaching itself to teeth.

Scientists went on to engineer a candy featuring a dead version of Lactobacillus paracasei so it doesn't harm but still sticks to bad bacteria. This greatly reduced the level of Streptococcus mutans inside the mouths of test subjects to be greatly reduced, minimizing the risk of cavities.

All this doesn't give you any excuse to not brush or floss regularly though.

[Organo Balance via Medical Xpress]