a professor of biological engineering and a leader in the study of mucus, to develop a cross-linking glue that would combine the adhesive qualities of mussel plaques with the bacteria-blocking ...

Mucus is another waterproof substance that refuses ... to the hydrogen in water molecules—making it possible for mussel plaque to solidify into a gel that stays attached to wet surfaces.

But when some bacteria mix with mucus and other tiny particles, a sticky, colorless film called plaque forms on our teeth. Regular brushing and flossing usually removes plaque, but any plaque left ...