Red wine lovers now have a reason to cheer. According to new research, both red wine and grape seed extract could potentially help prevent cavities - and also a visit to the dentist's chair! The study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, an American Chemical Society (ACS) publication, explains how researchers tested the effects of wine on biofilms. Biofilms are cultures or communities of bacteria that cause cavity and gum disease. For comparions they dipped the biofilms for a couple of minutes in different liquids -- red wine with alcohol, red wine without alcohol, red wine spiked with grape seed extract and water spiked with 12 percent ethanol.
"Red wine with or without alcohol and wine with grape seed extract were the most effective at getting rid of the bacteria," said lead author M. Victoria Moreno-Arribas, a specialist on wine chemistry from Spain. Cavities, periodontal disease and tooth loss affect an estimated 60 to 90 percent of the global population. This discovery could lead to the development of natural products that ward off dental diseases with fewer side-effects. This study adds to evidence that suggests that wine is good for health. Past studies have shown that resveratrol in red wine is an effective natural anti-inflammatory, and a glass a day helps preserve health and even prevent some specific cancers. With inputs from IANS
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