Written by Dentistry Today Thursday, 29 May 2014 15:27
Red wine should be consumed by everyone old enough to drink it, according to a new study.
The study indicates that red wine and a grape seed extract could thwart cavities. If the information is true, natural products may be developed that protect against dental disease with fewer side effects than wine.
The information appears in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Cavities, periodontal disease and tooth loss impact about 60 to 90 percent of the world’s population. The diseases come after bacteria in the mouth join together. Previous research implied that grape seed extract and wine may slow bacterial growth. Trying to determine whether or not that is true was the reason for conducting this study.
The research team grew cultures of bacteria responsible for dental diseases as a biofilm. They then dipped the biofilms in various liquids, including red wine, red wine without alcohol, red wine spiked with grape seed extract, water and 12 percent ethanol for comparison.Red wine with or without alcohol and wine with grape seed extract proved to be the most effective substances in eliminating bacteria—while also confirming that people should continue to enjoy red wine.