Fighting Tooth Decay with Coconut Oil

Scientists have found that digested coconut oil can actually start an attack upon the bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay

Scientists have presented some important findings at the Autumn Microbiology Conference at the University of Warwick.

According to these findings, the digested coconut oil can actually start an attack upon the bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay.

It is important to mention that coconut oil can be regarded as a natural antibiotic, and scientists say that probably this precious ingredient might be added as a main ingredient to hundreds of oral health care products available on the market.

Another team of researchers from the Athlone Institute of Technology from Ireland made an important lab test. They wanted to see which are the antibacterial properties of both the natural coconut oil and the one treated with enzymes.

The oils have been subjected to a special lab test resembling human digestion, and researchers also brought coconut oils in contact with the Streptococcus bacteria which are common harmful bacteria found within the mouth.

According to the results, the coconut oil which has been enriched with enzymes had a positive effect on the inhibition of the Streptococcus bacteria, but especially the Streptococcus mutans, which is one of the main culprits for tooth decay.

The oral health industry might regard enzyme-modified coconut oil as the next important ingredient which will be present in many oral health care products. According to one lead researcher, Dr. Damien Brady, the coconut oil is even more important as an ingredient to fight off bacteria, because it will successfully replace all those chemical additives they have been using in the toothpastes or mouthwashes.

Researchers will just continue testing such enzyme modified foods, in order to see how these interact with the way bacteria cause all types of infections and disorders in the mouth.

Such researches are always important, because with every single positive discovery one more important leap is made forward. Replacing as many chemical components as possible with these natural oils helps greatly in making possible the use of more natural and less harmful products in dental care.

Posted September 14, 2012 on worlddental.org.  See original article here.