Coconut oil can combat tooth decay, study suggests
September 3, 2012 by uncoverthenews
Filed under Health News
Researchers at the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland have found that digested coconut oil inhibits the growth of common bacteria that cause tooth decay and could be an effective alternative to chemical additives in dental hygiene products.
The researchers tested the effect of coconut oil on several common strains of streptococcus bacteria found inside the mouth.
They tested the effect of the oil in both its natural and digested form.
To mimic the process of digestion, they treated the oil with enzymes.
They found that in the digested form, the oil inhibited most strains of the bacteria, including streptococcus mutans, a common acid-producing bacteria that is is a major cause of tooth decay.
The coconut oil was also harmful to candida albicans, a yeast that causes a mouth infection called thrush.
