 Plaque busters: How olive oil, chewing gum and green tea can prevent the build-up of bacteria By Anastasia Stephens
Last updated at 10:26 PM on 8th May 2010
Comments (0) Add to My Stories A new toothpaste claims to 'dissolve' 88 per cent more dental plaque than other toothpastes.
It is quite a claim, given that dentists advise patients to have bacterial plaque removed professionally from their teeth every three to six months.
'Plaque forms when decay-causing bacteria attach to the surface of tooth enamel, forming a sticky film,' explains Dr Mervyn Druian, of the British Dental Association.
Health smile: New toothpastes help dissolve plaque, but visits to the hygienist are still recommended
'This can build up and harden around tooth and gum margins.
'The problem is that the bacteria living in the plaque release acids that weaken tooth enamel and increase the risk of tooth decay. The bacteria and their acids also raise the risk of gum inflammation.'
There is also a more serious effect of plaque. 'Reducing dental plaque reduces the levels of bacteria in the mouth which, when you have bleeding gums, can get into the blood and increase the risk of atherosclerosis - the narrowing of arteries.'
Bacteria feed on sugary and highcarbohydrate foods. Low-sugar diets, containing a balance of complex carbohydrate, proteins and oils, are linked to lower levels of dental plaque.
Here is the latest research into plaque-busters that can help keep your mouth cavity-free.
TOOTHPASTE
Choose a toothpaste containing ingredients designed to prevent plaque. Colgate Total contains an anti-bacterial substance called triclosan which, it claims, reduces plaque and stays active in the mouth for 12 hours after use.
Meanwhile Arm & Hammer's Brilliant Sparkle Gel toothpaste contains a plaque-dissolving formula that breaks the bonds attaching plaque to the tooth surface.
In a trial at University Park Research Centre, Indiana, the toothpaste removed 88 per cent more plaque than a leading competitor.
POLYPHENOLS
Green tea, red wine and cranberry juice contain substances called polyphenols that reduce plaque- formation and stop cavity-causing bacteria from sticking to teeth.
Trials at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in the US found that drinks such as cranberry juice may help wash away up to 50 per cent more cavity-causing bacteria from the mouth.
Polyphenols can also help prevent oral bacteria from producing acids that dissolve tooth enamel.
Assessing the dental health and diet of 25,000 people, a study at the University of Tohoku, Japan, found that just one cup of green tea a day was linked to better dental health and 20 per cent less risk of tooth loss.
OLIVE OIL
Limit plaque-formation and strengthen teeth by adding olive oil to salads and cooking.
University of Madrid researchers studied the anti-cavity properties of olive oil after discovering that residents of towns where olive oil is manufactured have uncharacteristically low levels of tooth decay and gum disease.
They found out that olive oil contains oleuropein, an anti-bacterial compound that stops 'gram negative' bacteria - the type that cause gum disease and bone loss - from attaching to teeth.
Olive oil also covers the teeth with a film of fat molecules that prevents plaque from forming. Other dietary fats and oils also help to neutralise acids produced by bacterial plaque.
PLAQUE-BUSTING GUM
Chew on gums containing Xylitol or Sorbitol, sugar substitutes that have a plaque-reducing effect. Xylitol cannot be utilised by oral bacteria and they starve. As the bacteria die off, there is a reduction in decay.
According to a study in the Journal Of Dental Education, to achieve a significant reduction in dental plaque you should chew Xylitol gum once a day for four weeks.
Do this and you will also develop fewer cavities - a review of studies by the Harvard School of Dental Medicine found that those who chew dental gums regularly have 30 to 60 per cent less decay.
PROFESSIONAL HELP
While plaque-reducing toothpastes, gums and drinks can slow the rate of plaque formation, they are unlikely to eliminate it completely. 'Plaque is still likely to build up in between teeth where food becomes trapped and beneath the gums,' says Dr Druian.
This means mechanical removal is still essential.
At home, Dr Druian recommends regular flossing to clean out food from between teeth.
An electric toothbrush will dislodge plaque more effectively than a regular one.
He still advises routine visits to the dental hygienist. 'Unless it is cleaned off regularly, plaque hardens and becomes difficult to remove,' he explains.
'If it builds up beneath the gums, it raises the risk of gum disease significantly.'
And the best way to prevent that, he says, is by seeing the dentist or dental hygienist who can remove the deposits with specialist equipment.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1275342/Plaque-Busters-How-olive-oil-chewing-gum-green-tea-prevent-build-bacteria.html#ixzz0nRGAmMtG
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