Not Just Heart, Red Wine Helps Prevent Cavities Too: Study

For decades red wine has been touted as an alcoholic beverage that is heart healthy. Adding to the list of benefits, a new study suggests that red wine also helps prevent cavities.

The latest study reveals that red wine including grape seed extract help prevent cavities. This could help develop natural products that fight dental disease with lesser side effects.

A breakdown of tooth enamel causes dental caries or cavities.  Though preventable, tooth decay is a chronic disease especially in children of ages 6-19. In adults, 9 out of 10 of age 20 and above have tooth rot , according to the CDC.

In another report CDC revealed that 1 in 5 Americans have untreated cavities.  Dental disease is common throughout the world. Nearly 60-90 percent of the world population suffers from cavities, periodontal disease and tooth loss.

The main problems arises on the formation of biofilms. Communities of bacteria called biofilms are difficult to kill and form plaque and release acid that gradually damages the teeth. Though brushing, fluoride in toothpaste and water help fight these bacterial plaques, their effect is very limited.

The antimicrobial rinses are also less preferred by people as they are known to change gum color an also alter taste. It was assumed that polyphenols, grape seed extract and wine slow bacterial growth hence, the team researchers M. Victoria Moreno-Arribas and colleagues tested the effect of red wine on bacterial communities.

For this study, the researchers grew cultures of bacteria as a biofilm. The biofilms were dipped in various liquids including red wine, red wine without alcohol, red wine with grape seed extract and water and 12 percent of ethanol. They then compared them all.

The most effective liquid in fighting off bacteria was red wine with or without alcohol and wine with grape seed extract.

The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and American Chemical Society (ACS).