02-06-2008, 07:11 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Propecia, CA
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Licorice Lollipop May Prevent Tooth Decay
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2/6/2008 - Scientists in California have developed a sugar-free lollipop, infused with a liquorice extract, that they claim can help prevent tooth decay.
Developer Wenyuan Shi from the University of California, Los Angeles school of dentistry, said the confectionery treat contains Glycyrrhiza uralensis, a liquorice root extract that destroys the bacteria responsible for dental cavities.
Only 15 milligrams of licorice powder per lollipop eliminates 99.9 percent of Streptococcus mutans, a common bacterium that could release harmful cavity-causing acids.
Before cavities appear, bacteria in the mouth produce acids that create holes in the top layer of the teeth. Streptococcus mutans is particularly harmful and causes a large percentage of these holes, Shi said.
Importantly, the extract does not kill the other bacteria in the mouth necessary for good oral health, Shi claims.
Shi first began the project in 2006, while looking for a nutraceutical and non-pharmaceutical approach to plaque removal, partly because nutritional supplements do not require the same level of FDA approval as chemical drugs, he said.
He then collaborated with scientists in China to explore traditional herbs, eventually discovering that liquorice root was one of the most effective.
"This was particularly charming because in both Chinese in Western cultures people chew it for the taste," he said. "But it also has a lot of good health benefits - it stimulates saliva flow, has anti-bacterial properties and keeps bacteria from adhering to your teeth."
The lollipop was chosen as the ideal vessel for the ingredient, as consumers generally suck the product slowly which keeps the liquorice extract in the mouth for longer.
"This means it keeps the active ingredients in contact with the organisms in your mouth long enough for them to work," scientists said. "As the lollipop dissolves in your saliva, we end up with the right concentration of the herbs to kill harmful bacteria."
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https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/...cay-sugar-free
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