Cranberry Counters Tooth Decay

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center completed research showing cranberries can prevent plaque-forming bacteria from sticking to teeth while also inhibiting bacterial enzymes crucial to the process of tooth decay. The study findings, accepted for publication in Caries Research, are accompanied by a warning that many commercial cranberry products often contain excess sugar, which is the root of tooth decay.

To investigate the effect of cranberries on plaque formation, the scientists put a layer of cranberry juice on a synthetic material that acts like tooth enamel, which is comprised of hydroxyapatite. They then applied Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria behind the plaque that eats sugar, leaving behind acids that cause dental decay and cavities. After seven months, the results revealed cranberries were 80-percent effective in protecting teeth from this process of decay.

Researcher Hyuan Koo, DDS, said more studies are needed to isolate the active compounds before clinical trials with patients can be considered. Also, cranberries contain a fair amount of acids that can soften enamel, leaving it susceptible to plaque. While the saliva eventually counters the acidic effects, too much acid in a short period of time can result in enamel erosion. The ultimate goal, Koo reported, is to extract cranberry's protective compounds and add them to dental products, such as toothpaste or mouthwash.

Drawing a parallel between cranberrys well known benefit to bladder infections, he noted, Scientists believe that one of the main ways that cranberries prevent urinary tract infections is by inhibiting the adherence of pathogens on the surface of the bladder. Perhaps the same is true in the mouth, where bacteria use adhesion molecules to hold onto teeth."