Wine, wine, wine. Have a glass with dinner- here’s another reason it could be good for you.
A recent study is saying that wine can fend off the bacteria that causes cavities and gum disease.
Research done by the American Chemical Society has found that polyphenols, the same things in wine that act as antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals, also benefit you by actively interacting with bacteria in your gut. And it benefits your mouth.
To come up with their findings, researchers studied the effects of two red wine polyphenols, as well as commercially available grape seed and red wine extracts. They analyzed how these elements interact with the bacteria that stick to your gums and cause dental plaque, cavities and periodontal disease.
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Working with cells that model gum tissue, they found that the two wine polyphenols in isolation — caffeic and p-coumaric acids – did a good job at preventing the bacteria’s ability to stick to the your mouth.
And here’s another bit of good news: according to the minds at Colgate, eating cheese can also help you fend off cavities. The dairy works by increasing the pH levels in your mouth.
Your mouth produces more saliva when you eat something chewy like cheese, and it was also found that various compounds in cheese might adhere to tooth enamel, helping to protect them against acid.
If these aren’t good reasons for indulging and enjoying that post-work wine and cheese social, I don’t what is.
Photo credits: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com
