Dental Researchers Highlight Cranberry’s Bacteria-Busting Effects

(Newswire.net — December 29, 2022) Orlando, FL — Cranberry is one of the widely-studied plant-based remedies today, especially since it helps combat certain types of infections. 

“Families gathered around the Thanksgiving dinner table might consider giving thanks for the bacteria-busting ability of cranberry juice,” say dental researchers.

A study was carried out, and it found that the beverage holds important clues for preventing cavities.

This research was spearheaded by oral biologist Hyun (Michel) Koo, D.D.S., Ph.D., at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

It has shown similar traits that make cranberry juice an effective remedy against bladder infections and also holds promise in it being a powerful weapon against tooth cavities. 

It has been found that cranberry juice acts like Teflon for teeth, and this means it makes adherence of bacteria, which cause cavities, to tooth surface difficult. It is important to note that stickiness is essential for the microbe Streptococcus mutans. 

It is worth noting this microbe creates most cavities by eating sugar, and then excreting acids that trigger dental decay. 

“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. Perhaps the same is true in the mouth, where bacteria use adhesion molecules to hold onto teeth,” Koo said.

Koo works closely with Nicholi Vorsa, Ph.D., a plant pathologist and director of the Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension Center at Rutgers.

The research team has also found evidence that cranberry juice has the ability to disrupt the formation of glucan, which is the building block of plaques. 

“Something in the cranberry juice disarms the pathogens that cause tooth decay,” Koo said.

But don’t even think about running to the juice aisle in the grocery store to prevent tooth decay, Koo said. The sugar that is usually added to cranberry juice can cause cavities, and the natural acidity of the substance may contribute directly to tooth decay.

“There is a massive number of publications about the effect of cranberries on urinary tract infections,” said Koo, “but there are only a few studies on the dental side.

It is also worth mentioning that one of the strongest UTI-fighting ingredients of cranberry is D-mannose. It is widely used today in the prevention and treatment of infection through the use of unique and superior-strength supplements like Divine Bounty D-mannose.

Aside from being highly potent and pure, this therapeutic supplement is made carefully in an FDA-inspected facility in the U.S. (www.amazon.com/D-Mannose-600mg-Cranberry-Dandelion-Extract/dp/B01LX5KGF0)