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A new ingredient to your toothpaste and mouthwash might help fight against tooth decay.

According to UK researchers, adding enzymes from seaweed microbes to toothpaste and mouthwash could provide better protection against tooth decay. They say the enzymes could protect the areas between teeth where plaque can gather despite brushing. Test conducted hint that the enzyme cuts through plaque, stripping it of bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Dr Nick Jakubovics from Newcastle University's school of dental sciences said they've found a solution to help fight plaque buildup.

"We found this enzyme can remove some of these undesirable bacteria from plaque," Jakubovics said. "Plaque on your teeth is made up of bacteria which join together to colonize an area in a bid to push out any potential competitors."

Jakubovics also said that traditional toothpastes may not be as effective.

"Traditional toothpastes work by scrubbing off the plaque containing the bacteria - but that's not always effective - which is why people who religiously clean their teeth can still develop cavities," he said.

Plaque is made up of lots of different decaying bacteria, and according to WebMD, plaque develops when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches), such as milk, soft drinks, raisins, cakes, or candy are frequently left on the teeth. 

Jakubovics said his team is planning to mix the new fix into traditional cleansing, but more research and studies are needed to show the technique works and is safe before any products could be brought to market.

"Ultimately we hope to harness this power into a paste, mouthwash or denture-cleaning solution."

Jakubovics is presenting the latest findings to a meeting of the Society for Applied Microbiology, the organization that is funding the research along with the Newcastle Healthcare Charity.