An interesting study conducted by researchers at the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland has revealed that a new natural agent could help in the fight against tooth decay. The unlikely constituent: coconut oil. This week, at the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn conference at the University of Warwick, England, the institute unveiled the findings of its study, noting that an antibacterial agent found in digested coconut oil looked promising for helping to prevent tooth decay.The goal of the researcher team, led by Dr. Damien Brady, was to determine whether or not coconut oil could help combat a particular strain of Streptococcus bacteria which are found in the mouth, and that are known to cause tooth decay. The goal was to test out the efficacy of the oil in its natural and in its semi-digested state. Certain enzymes were added to intimate the testing process of the oil.
The study concluded that natural oil that was undigested had virtually no impact upon the bacteria. However, the scientists did find that when the compound was digested, it showed significant effects upon preventing the multiplication of the Streptococcus bacteria.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
New Study Suggests Coconut Oil May Help Prevent Tooth Decay
