New Study Reveals That Cheese Prevents Tooth Decay
A recent study conducted by the General Dentistry journal has stated that cheese and other dairy products may in fact, protect against dental cavities.
Over the years there have been a number of studies suggesting that dairy products have a positive impact on bone health, due to calcium content but none have focused on their impacts upon the teeth.
Dr Ravishankar Telgi, conducted the research and had it published within the clinical journal, which was peer-reviewed first.
The study looked at 68 children, aged from 12-15 in which their levels of dental plaque PH levels were compared. The study used a before and after technique, which looked at those who had eaten a number of dairy products, including yoghurts, cheese and milk.
According to Vipul Vadav, the lead author of the study, PH levels found in the mouth determine whether or not a person is likely to develop cavities. A PH above 5.5 means there is less chance for decay to occur, whereas anything below shows the development of cavities.
The children were split into three groups, one was given cheddar cheese to eat, the second was given milk to drink and the third was given yoghurt to eat. The subjects were instructed to eat/swill the food/drink in their mouths for three minutes and then to swill their mouths with water. The dental PH of each of their mouths was then measured after 10, 20 and finally 30 minutes after eating.
The studies showed that PH levels were increased dramatically in those who ate the cheddar cheese. The other two groups of yoghurt and cheese showed no changes. Researchers believe that the increase in salvia (due to eating cheese) causes a reduction in acid content found within the mouth.
Research conducted in Japan also supports this theory.
A General Dentistry spokesperson, finally went on to say that he thought dairy products were a good alternative to eating foods filled with carbohydrates and sugars with added benefits of tooth decay reduction.
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