Researchers have discovered that cranberries and pure cranberry juice can help to prevent common health problem such as tooth decay.
Disruption of bacterial adhesion by cranberry compounds is also applicable to other body sites including the mouth and stomach which are constantly exposed to bacteria as well as to general resistance to viral and bacterial infections.
Dental biofilm are from bacterial adherence to surfaces of the oral cavity. The predominant bacteria found in biofilms associated with cariogenesis are the serotype mutans streptococci.
Research by Steinberg in 2005 Duarte 2005 demonstrated that addition of cranberry bioactives (proanthocyanidins) to oral care interferes with bacterial adhesion to the tooth enamel, thereby preventing accumulation of the biofilms and plaque that lead to periodontal disease and tooth decay.
Study demonstrated that cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibiting a sucrose-dependent mechanism in which bacteria synthetize fructans and glucans via glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase to provide themselves with binding sites required for hard-surface adhesion to teeth.
Cranberry juice prevents tooth decay
