Two unlikely allies in the fight against cavities

New research shows that drinking wine and eating cranberries can help ward off cavity-causing bacteria.

Dental researchers from the University of Rochester say that cranberry and wine can fight against Streptococcus mutans (bacterium found in nearly all humans and the leading cause of dentalu00a0caries), which invades mouths after meals.

S. mutans prey on sugar residue left on teeth from desserts and sweets, and emit acid that eats away at tooth enamel.

"Natural substances offer tremendous possibilities for stopping tooth decay," says Dr. Hyun Koo, a dentist and microbiologist. Cranberries and wine are two that combat bad bacteria growth in our mouths.

An Italian study published 2007 by the University of Pavia first discovered that wine could be effective against the bacteria that causes both tooth decay and sore throats.

Koo's research has been ongoing, but previously, researchers did not understand why the berry was so effective against plaque buildup.

The bad news: sugar and starch are the culprits behind bad bacteria buildup, so sugary cranberry sauces and baked goods are out.