Cheers! Red wine, cranberriesgood for dental problems

The amazing scientific reports unveiling the potentials of red wine and cranberries in the treatment and prevention of a plethora of health-related conditions, particularly cavities and plaque build-up.
WHEN you pop open that bottle of red wine or cranberries, consider toasting their benefits to the teeth. After all, compounds in
red wine and cranberries may be the key to preventing cavities and plaque build-up,
researchers say.
The compounds - called polyphenols - block
a molecule made by the bacteria
streptococcus mutans, which are found in
all the mouths, said researcher Hyun Koo, a
microbiologist at University of Rochester
Medical Centre in New York.
The polyphenols from the fermented grape
stems, seeds, and skins left over from wine
production help good bacteria in the mouth
to thrive, and keep the bad bacteria from
sticking to the teeth.
In fact, researchers found that polyphenols
in red wine prevent bacteria from making
glucans, which allow bacteria to stick to the
teeth and lead to plaque build-up and tooth
damage.
And when fed to rats, the compounds also
found in cranberries, called A-type
proanthocyanidins, reduced bacteria ’s
ability to produce glucans and acid by 70
per cent, while cavities were reduced by 45
per cent.
Past studies have also found that lactic,
malic, succinic, and tartaric acids in wine
were effective at killing 99.9 per cent of
dental (and sore throat) bacteria.
A beverage containing 25 per cent
cranberry juice also inhibited bacteria from
binding and accumulating on an artificial
tooth by 67-85 per cent, leading
researchers to suggest that cranberry
dental floss and toothpaste might give you
a healthier smile.
But while the polyphenol compounds are
proving to be powerful protectants for the
teeth, this doesn ’t mean you should start
gargling with Cabernet and cranberry juice.
Koo found that compounds in cranberries
work in a similar way. When laboratory rats
were fed cranberry compounds, their
cavities were reduced by 45 per cent.
In a related study, researchers proved that a
beverage containing 25 per cent cranberry
juice inhibited bacteria from binding and
accumulating on an artificial tooth by 67-85
per cent.
This led researchers to suggest that
cranberry dental floss and toothpaste might
ultimately provide consumers with a
healthier smile.
Further, cranberries have naturally high
levels of antioxidants. One benefit is that
these high levels may provide protection
against cardiovascular disease. In fact, one
study demonstrated how a low-calorie
cranberry juice decreased total blood
cholesterol, while another observed an
increase in HDL.
Researchers also suggested that an
antioxidant mechanism found in
cranberries might help reduce the severity
of a stroke.
Researchers also claim that cranberries may
help prevent certain cancers, due to their
antioxidant profile. Normally, these bacteria
break down sugar we eat and make sticky
molecules called glucans, which let bacteria
to cling to our teeth and damage their
surfaces, Koo told MyHealthNewsDaily.
These bacteria also produce an acid that
erodes the tooth enamel, leading to cavities,
he said. But the fermented grape stems,
seeds and skins left over from wine
production contain high amounts of
polyphenols. The polyphenols can block the
ability of S. mutans to make glucans, letting
the good bacteria in the mouth thrive, while
disabling the bad bacteria from sticking to
the teeth, Koo said.
“The oral cavity is a very rich microbial
environment, so you can’t just smoke (the
bad bacteria) out,” he said.
“There are beneficial and pathogenic
organisms.”
Koo, who was a dentist for two years
before becoming a microbiologist, also
found that compounds in cranberries work
similarly - they block the molecules that
enable the sticky surface to form on our
teeth.
When researchers fed rats the cranberry
compounds, called A-type
proanthocyanidins, they found that the
bacteria ’s production of acid and glucans
were reduced by 70 per cent, and cavities
were reduced by 45 per cent, according to a
study Koo published in March in the dental
health journal Caries Research.
But Koo warned that eating heaps of
cranberry sauce or downing glass after
glass of red wine would not help in reaping
the dental benefits of these compounds.
Cranberry products, such as cranberry
sauce or cranberry juice cocktail, contain a
lot of sugar, which experts claim are not
good for the teeth. They also believe that
red wine can stain the teeth.
However, Koo and his colleagues hope to
find a way to add these compounds to
mouthwashes, toothpastes or chewing gum
to combat plaque and cavities. He hopes to
test the findings in a clinical setting in the
next four years.
United States scientists say red wine could
be beneficial to the teeth as well as
brainpower and immune system. They have
found it contains chemicals that could ward
off decay by stopping harmful bacteria
from sticking to teeth.
The findings, due to be published in the
journal Food Chemistry, suggest a daily
glass of red could help to keep teeth healthy
and reduce the need for fillings.
In contrast, a recent study showed white
wine could damage dental health because
its high acid content erodes the enamel that
coats the surface of a tooth. Red wine,
when drunk in moderation, is already
thought to have a protective effect against
heart disease and some forms of cancer.
But in recent years, scientists have also
been investigating whether it could help to
prevent dental decay.
Last year, a team of U.S. researchers
discovered that chemicals found in large
quantities in the discarded seeds and skins
of grapes pressed to make wine blocked the
ability of corrosive bacteria to bind with
tooth enamel.
The most damaging bacteria, called
streptococcus mutans, live in the mouth and
feed on sugar in the diet. Once it sticks to
the enamel, the organism triggers a process
called demineralisation, where acid starts to
punch holes in the teeth.
In the latest study, researchers at Pavia
University in Italy exposed the bacteria to a
small amount of red wine that had all its
alcohol content removed.
The results showed harmful organisms
were unable to cling to teeth or saliva once
exposed to red wine. The scientists said the
active ingredient was a group of
compounds called proanthocyanidins,
chemicals rich in antioxidants that are
found mainly in grape skins.
However, the researchers are investigating
whether the compounds can be extracted
and used as a form of treatment on their
own, as some wines contain sugars and
acids that can also be corrosive to teeth.
Latest studies have shown that not only
does cranberry boost the effects of
antibiotics, it is also a natural medicine and
a strong antibiotic itself. In terms of
antioxidants content, cranberry was found
to be incomparable, beating even all-time
leader – red wine.
Scientists from Israel and America
concluded that this wonder berry could
replace many drugs. It is said to be
particularly effective against kidney and
urinary bladder inflammations.
Scientific studies revealed how fresh
cranberry juice affects bacteria in urinary
tract. They are said to be fifty times
stronger than vitamin E. They prevent
bacteria from attaching to the walls of
urinary tract and stop their proliferation.
“ It kills harmful bacteria and promotes their
flushing out of the system. It cures
inflammation and provides recovery. And
cranberry heals without any side effects
compared to many chemical drugs. Besides,
these antioxidants restore damaged
membranes of cells, preventing their
ageing, and even could stop growing of
tumors, ” researchers submitted.