Cranberries may help prevent cavities

[Thom Little]

As Americans tuck into their Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, they can take heart that new research shows a generous helping of cranberry sauce may actually offer benefits for their teeth.

Cranberries, which already are known to help thwart urinary tract infections, may also prevent tooth decay and cavities, dental researchers reported in the January issue of the journal Caries Research.

The same sticky compounds in the small, hard red fruit -- which is boiled into a jelly that is a staple at American winter holiday meals -- that help keep bacteria at bay in the bladder also appear to help prevent bacteria from clinging to teeth, according to the researchers.

They also found it seemed to help ward off plaque, a gooey substance formed from bits of food, saliva, and acid that can harbor bacteria and eventually irritate the gums.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051124/hl_nm/cranberries_dc;_ylt=Ao4ete10n5oLpD9pL9f3dLys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3czJjNGZoBHNlYwM3NTE-

[Liberal In Texas]

1. Yeah, saw this piece of dubious science on the local news tonight, nothing

about Iraq, but they had this.

[nodehopper]

7. I have 19 fillings in my mouth so to me info like this is helpful

it also makes sense if you've ever drank cranberry juice for a UTI.

[otohara]

2. If It Weren't For The Large Amts of Sugar

you have to put in cranberry dishes. Cranberries are great for health - but sugar kills.

[upi402]

4. Santa Cruz organic cranberry nectar tastes like fruit juice

[otohara]

8. Love Santa Cruz Cranberry & Just Pomegranate

with some sparkling water and stevia. Yum...

[AntiCoup2K4]

5. There's always unsweetened cranberry juice

Trader Joe's has it. It's sour as Hell, but you could always mix it with a sweeter juice. The pure cherry juice they sell there is an excellent choice.

[upi402]

3. i use the stuff regularly as a preventative, many benefits

[nodehopper]

6. well that makes sense

as my OB/GYN explained to me drinking cranberry juice helps with UTI's b/c the juice coats the bladder in such a way that it prevents bacteria from sticking to it. I guess it can work the same way with teeth.