Could coconut oil be the solution to creating an all natural toothpaste?

Image source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/09/03/sci-coconut-oil-tooth-decay.html

Oral hygiene affects everyone and with the increasing number of children and adults affected by dental caries, more commonly known as tooth decay, has some dentists suggesting we are undergoing an epidemic.  Tooth decay is caused by specific bacteria that erode the hard tissues of the teeth through the production of acid by hydrolysis of food debris.  When left untreated, this infection can spread and possibly lead to serious health complications such as Ludwig’s Angina.

Research done at the Athlone Institute of Technology’s Bioscience Research Institute in Ireland, suggests that coconut oil inhibits the growth of tooth decay causing bacteria and is comparable to the current toothpastes being used.  The research team led by Dr. Damien Brady tested the antibacterial action of coconut oil in both its natural state and when treated with enzymes.  Testing was performed on various strains of Streptococcus bacteria, the most commonly found bacteria in the mouth.  Dr. Brady and his team of researchers found that the enzyme-modified coconut oil substantially inhibited the growth of several strains of Streptococcus.  One of the acid producing, decay causing bacterium, Streptococcus mutans, was found to be strongly inhibited by the modified oil.  An earlier study demonstrating the effects of enzyme-modified milk and its reduction on the binding of Streptococcus mutans to tooth enamel encouraged Dr. Brady’s study on coconut oil.

Dental Caries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_caries

Dr. Brady’s team presented their work at the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn conference at the University of Warwick on September 3, 2012.  Further work will be done on the molecular level interaction between coconut oil and Streptococcus bacteria.  The team will also be testing the modified-oil’s effect against yeast Candida albicans that can cause thrush.

Why do we care?

With the increase of dental caries being reported today, oral hygiene has become the center of public concern.  Excellent oral hygiene and fresh breath demands that we brush our teeth multiple times a day.  Although the frequency of tooth brushing has become the main focus, attention is lacking as to what ingredients in tooth paste are essential.  Tooth brushing has become a part of our daily routine, but have you ever wondered what your tooth paste is made from?  With ingredients like Sodium Hexametaphosphate, glycerin, hydrated silica and propylene glycol it’s no wonder we don’t question it more.  The public has demanded an increase in organic and health food products yet toothpaste seems to be overlooked.  The research being performed by Dr. Brady and his team could have potential benefits for the oral health care industry.  With the results from their research, there is the potential to reduce the amount of chemical additives in toothpaste and substitute modified coconut oil and other natural ingredients.

This blog post was submitted by: Layla Vera