Tuesday 4 September 2012

Coconut oil fights tooth decay: research

An interesting piece i read today on yahoo news! 

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/lifestyle/a/-/lifestyle/14747107/coconut-oil-fights-tooth-decay-research/

Picture: Michael O'Brien/The West Australian
Picture: Michael O'Brien/The West Australian
Coconut oil fights tooth decay and could find its way into toothpaste and mouthwash, research suggests.

Scientist found that when the oil was treated with digestive enzymes it became a powerful killer of mouth bugs.

The bacteria it attacked included Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing microbe that is a major cause of tooth decay.

Researchers were following up earlier work which showed that partially digested milk made S.mutans less likely to stick to the tooth enamel.

Further studies will look at how coconut oil interacts with the bacteria at the molecular level, and what other microbe strains and yeasts it may combat.

Tests already suggest that enzyme-treated coconut oil is harmful to the yeast Canadian albicans, the cause of thrush. Lead researcher Dr Damien Brady, from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, said: "Dental caries is a commonly overlooked health problem affecting 60 percent to 90 percent of children and the majority of adults in industrialised countries. 

"Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations. Also, with increasing antibiotics resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection.

"Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonise the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health."
  

3 comments:

  1. This is a great read Noa. Would you know if this has been manufactured and up for sale. I currently have a bad toothache. that's why :) lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bula Penina.

    Thanks for your comment and taking the time to read my post. I'am not sure if this product is now up for sale but i can do some research and get back to you on that.

    Maybe the best cure right now would be another round of GOLD :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. I’m excited to uncover this page. I need to to thank you for ones time for this particularly fantastic read !! I definitely really liked every part of it and i also have you saved to fav to look at new information in your site. stanazolo

    ReplyDelete