Gum
disease is a common condition occurring in adults that causes the gum to
become inflamed due to bacteria-containing plaque on the teeth. In severe cases, gum disease
calls for antibiotics. But new research shows that wild blueberry extract may
help prevent the onset of dental plaque.
 |
| New study finds blueberry extract could reduce antibiotic use in treating gum disease |
Check this Article: Penile Implant Surgery in India
The study,
published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, may lead to new
therapies for gum disease and could even reduce the need for antibiotics.
When an individual has plaque accumulation, the gums get red
and swollen and bleed easily, a condition known as gingivitis. If left untreated,
this can lead to gum or periodontal disease. The plaque becomes hard and turns
into tartar, and the infection spreads below the gum line, destroying the
tissues that support the teeth.
In hopes of treating the condition, a dentist will scrape
off the tartar. Sometimes, they have to resort to using antibiotics to treat
the infection.
Lead researcher Daniel Grenier, a professor from the
Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada, and his team were interested in investigating
a range of natural antibacterial compounds to treat gum disease. They began
looking to see if the polyphenol compounds in blueberries, which are known to
protect the plant from disease, could help stop hinder the development of the
plaque.
"Blueberries contain significant amounts of flavonoids
to which a number of beneficial health effects in humans have been
associated," the study said.
They used extracts from the Vaccinium angustifolium variety
of wild lowbush blueberry and tested it against Fusobacterium nucleatum, one of
the main species of bacteria associated with periodontal disease.
Laboratory tests showed that the polyphenolic compounds were
successful in not only preventing the growth of F. nucleatum, but also
preventing the growth of the bacterial plaque. The extract also helped block a
molecular pathway that is responsible for inflammation in the gums.
"This dual
antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action of lowbush blueberry polyphenols
suggests that they may be promising candidates for novel therapeutic
agents."
The research team is in the process of developing an oral
device that slowly releases the extract after a deep cleaning to help treat gum
disease.
According to the CDC,
47.2 percent of American adults aged 30 and over have some form of periodontal
disease. Once tartar goes below the gum line, only a dental health professional
can remove the tartar and stop the gum disease process.
Dental health is not the only researched benefit of
blueberries. After a systematic review of the global scientific literature, the
American Institute for Cancer Research weighed the strength of the evidence
linking dietary fiber and vitamin C to lower risk for several cancers,
including colon, mouth, lung, stomach, and esophagus cancer.
Blueberries have also been found to lower cardiovascular
risk factors and inflammation, and improve metabolic syndrome in obese men and
women over a period of 8 weeks according to a 2010 study published in the
Journal of Nutrition.
Blueberry polyphenols, which have antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory effects, have been associated with increased neuronal
signaling in the brain centers. They mediate memory function as well improve
glucose disposal, benefits that are expected to lower the risk of
neurodegeneration.
Another study published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry found that blueberry supplementation can help improve memory in
older adults, lower their glucose levels, and help reduce incidence of
depression.
 |
| Blueberry extract may help prevent gum disease |
Source: http://www.edtreatmentindia.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment