"Cranberry Juice Cuts Cavities", CBS News, November 23, 2005,
Link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/23/health/webmd/main1071692.shtml

Cranberry juice curbs cavities, new research shows.

The juice contains a chemical that blocks cavity-causing bacteria from
sticking to teeth, scientists report in Caries Research.

"Something in the cranberry juice disarms the pathogens that cause
tooth decay," researcher Hyun (Michel) Koo, DDS, PhD, says in a news
release.

Koo is an oral biologist at New York's University of Rochester Medical
Center.

How Cranberries Work

The tart cranberry is a staple of the Thanksgiving table. It's also
well known for its work against urinary tract infections.

"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," says Koo. This means preventing bacteria
from attaching to the urinary tract and tracking back to cause an
infection.

"Perhaps the same is true in the mouth, where bacteria use adhesion
molecules to hold on to teeth," he continues.

Basically, Koo's team found that cranberry juice thwarted that adhesion
process. The cavity-causing bacteria can't do their dirty work without
latching onto teeth.

Sour Note

Before you serve extra helpings of cranberry sauce, remember that the
studies only included cranberry juice.

What's more, the juice had no sweeteners in it, unlike mainstream
cranberry drinks. Koo's team focused on science, not gourmet flavors.

The scientists plan to isolate cranberry's key anticavity chemical,
which may one day be used in toothpastes or mouth rinses, states the
news release.

Meanwhile, Koo suggests avoiding cavities with simple steps like
brushing your teeth, limiting sugary foods, and getting proper dental
care.

Sources: Koo, H. Caries Research, January-February 2006; vol 40. News
release, University of Rochester Medical Center.