Cranberry juice fights tooth decay

28/11/05 University of Rochester researchers have published information indicating the cranberry may be effective in preventing tooth decay. The research focuses on the inhibiting effect of compounds found in cranberries against a key bacterium blamed in the formation of cavities.

"Scientists believe one of the main ways cranberries prevent urinary tract infections is by inhibiting the adherence of pathogens on the surface of the bladder," said Dr. Michel Koo, an oral biologist and food scientist at the university's medical center. "Perhaps the same is true in the mouth, where bacteria use adhesion molecules to hold onto teeth."

This is good news for people seeking natural ways to support their bodies, but it is important to understand the contents of cranberry juice before making a purchase. Most cranberry juice is cranberry-flavored apple juice, and sometimes it is also mixed with grape juice. Other ingredients may even include high-fructose corn syrup or cranberry concentrate.

While drinking apple and grape juices is a dietary improvement for many, juices made with so much processed sugar are little more than cranberry-flavored juices. Such juices rarely contain significant amounts of the compounds which make cranberries useful in preventing tooth decay and instead contain large amounts of the compounds that cause tooth decay.

Purer forms of cranberry juice have a very strong flavor. Some people can develop a taste for unsweetened cranberries while others can only handle cranberries when blended with juice. Avoid juices sweetened with processed sugars and diluted with juices as these are often the sugars that lead to cavities.

Further research is necessary before cranberries can be promoted as a preventative for tooth decay. However, other sugars such as Xylose are already used in "sugarless gums" because of their proven ability to inhibit bacterial development on the surface of teeth. Such gums are called sugarless because they do not have sucrose and glucose which are the sugars associated with cavities.

Cranberries have also been shown to have beneficial effects for chronic urinary tract infections. The compound believed to be responsible for this is a simple monosaccharide sugar called Mannose. Identified in Harpers Biochemistry as one of eight sugars necessary for normal cellular function, Mannose has also been shown to prevent bacterial infection and development.

These necessary monosaccharide sugars can all be found in a single dietary supplement. It also contains the other sugars identified in Harpers Biochemistry, based of their importance in biological functions. This can provide a more convenient choice for people wishing to improve their diets by increasing their nutrient intake while limiting the intake of food compounds, which are not beneficial to good health.

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