Who knew a coconut could solve your dentistry problems?
Smile ladies, because scientists have found that coconut oil could help fight the main bug behind tooth decay.
The scientists tested coconut oil against Streptococcus mutans, a sugar-loving bacterium that clings to our teeth and produces an acid that causes them to rot.
This breakthrough will pave the way for toothpastes and mouthwashes containing coconut as an active ingredient.
Can we just let the big guys know we would like to keep the minty-fresh flavour to toothpaste though? We don’t fancy having a mouth tasting like a Bounty bar for the day…
Dr Damien Brady, a lead researcher at the Athlone Institute of Technology said; “Tooth decay is a commonly overlooked health problem affecting 60 to 90 per cent of children and the majority of adults in industrialised countries.
“Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations.”
Dr Brady now plans to experiment and see if the enzyme-treated coconut oil has any other killer qualities.
Tests already suggest it combats Candida albicans, which causes thrush, the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn conference heard.
Looks like there are more uses to coconut oil than we first thought!
We’ll hold off on ditching the toothpaste a while first though I’d say…
