Cranberries benefit oral health.

Two independent studies have linked cranberry consumption with the prevention of periodontal or gum disease. The studies suggest that cranberry's unique A-type PACs (proanthocyanadins) help prevent disease-causing bacteria from adhering in the mouth and causing infection. The fruit's anti-inflammatory capacity may also help prevent gum disease and reduce plaque-causing bacteria in the mouth.

The first of two recent studies, published in the Journal of Periodontal Research, found that cranberry extract inhibits several enzyme activities associated with periodontal diseases. The researchers suggest that cranberry may work curatively by inhibiting MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases)--the enzymes that play a major role in gingival tissue destruction. The findings suggest that cranberry components offer promising applications for adjunctive treatments of the disease.

Other newly published trials by researchers at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada, found cranberry juice concentrate contains molecules that inhibit the inflammatory response in the gum tissue. Inflammation caused by infection in the mouth is known to contribute to tissue destruction. The researchers found that cranberry inhibited the response of gingival fibroblasts, which supports their previous work that showed the same effect on macrophages--both of these cell types contribute to inflammation. This study provides an opportunity to build on cranberry's anti-inflammatory properties and support the opportunity for cranberry components to be used as part of a treatment regime for periodontits.

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