Coconut oil protects against caries
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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Love for chocolate "Bounty" and candy "Raffaello" may not be as fatal as it seemed before.
If we risk belting the waist with a "life circle," we do not have to worry about the health of our teeth.
Researchers advise to abandon traditional methods of dental care and pay attention to pastes and mouthwashes with the use of coconut oil.
Caries is a disease of hard tooth tissues, the external manifestation of which is the destruction of the enamel and dentin of the tooth. This disease is not often paid close attention, it is often not taken seriously.
"Dental caries is the most common health problem that affects about 90% of children and many adults in developed countries," says study author Dr Damian Brady of the Technological Institute of Athlone.
Scientists argue that coconut oil, treated with digestive enzymes, prevents reproduction and the emergence of bacteria that cause caries.
Such conclusions were made public at the conference of the Society of General Microbiology in Warwick (UK).
Studies of specialists, led by Dr. Demian Brady, showed that the bacterium Streptococcus mutans absorbs sugar and other carbohydrates, secreting lactic acid and destroying the enamel of the teeth.
Coconut oil actively prevents the formation of plaque on the teeth and stops the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
"The results of our studies suggest that digested milk proteins interfere with microbes to adhere to the walls of the intestine, and also prevent the penetration of bacteria into the cells," concludes Brady.
According to scientists, it was not possible to find out which component negatively affects most types of streptococci, but the "digested" oil can be safely used for the prevention of dental diseases.
"The addition of enriched coconut oil to hygiene products for oral care is an excellent alternative to chemical additives," says study author Dr. Damien Brady. "In addition, to achieve the desired effect requires a very small dose of oil."
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