East Wareham, MA, November 9, 2004 – New research presented at a recent symposium suggests that cranberry juice may help prevent certain oral health problems, including diseases of the gums and teeth. Dr. Hyun Koo from the University of Rochester examined cranberry juice’s ability to prevent Streptococcus mutans bacteria from sticking to teeth. If the bacteria cannot adhere, then they cannot develop the buildup of dental plaque that covers the teeth and begins to cause cavities and even gum disease. Dr. Koo presented his research at the Cranberry Institute’s Second Biennial Cranberry Health Research Symposium, held in October in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Prominent health experts gathered from North America to present new findings on cranberries’ role in preventing a number of diseases and infections.

In Dr. Koo’s in vitro study, two daily doses of a beverage containing 25 percent cranberry juice inhibited bacteria binding and further accumulation to an artificial tooth surface by 67 to 85 percent. As new cranberry oral health products such as dental floss or toothpaste, already on the market, become more widely available, people around the country will be able to apply this research to their daily routines for a healthier smile.

The symposium also offered a glimpse into the research studies funded by a landmark $2.6 million federal initiative to explore cranberries’ health effects. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health is funding nine cranberry studies, primarily researching the unique activity of cranberry in preventing the adhesion of certain disease-causing bacteria to cells and tissues in our bodies. While much of this program focuses on the well-known effect of cranberry in helping prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs), the NCCAM grants will also fund additional research by Dr. Koo on cranberries’ bacteria-blocking mechanism at work in maintaining oral health. Other recent findings suggest a similar effect on the bacteria that cause most stomach ulcers.

Much of the research presented at the cranberry health symposium concentrated on more deeply understanding the effect on UTIs. A new study by Dr. Amy Howell of Rutgers University and Dr. Kalpana Gupta of Yale University suggests a dose-dependent response. In this study, drinking eight ounces of cranberry juice more than doubled the benefit from drinking only four ounces.

Other recent research has investigated the naturally high levels of antioxidants in cranberries, one benefit of which may be to help protect the heart from cardiovascular disease. A limited study by Dr. Ted Wilson of Winona State University demonstrated a decrease in total blood cholesterol when low-calorie cranberry juice was consumed. Another study by Dr. Joseph Vinson of the University of Scranton, examining only patients with high cholesterol, observed an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL, or the “good” cholesterol) using cranberry juice cocktail.

Additional research points to a potential link between cranberries and protection against brain cell damage during a stroke. A preliminary rat cell tissue study, led by principal investigator Dr. Catherine Neto at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, suggests that cranberry may reduce the severity of a stroke via an antioxidant mechanism during the early stages of stroke, the point at which the most damage occurs.

Lastly, cranberries’ antioxidant profile may also help prevent certain cancers. While data is preliminary, researchers are interested in cranberries’ role in inhibiting growth of oral, prostate, colon, breast, cervical, lung and leukemia cancer cells.

The conference and the studies highlight the unique health benefits of this native American fruit in the areas of bacterial anti-adhesion, high antioxidant capacity, and other heart health and anti-cancer properties. The Cranberry Institute is dedicated to supporting research and increasing awareness about the overall goodness of the cranberry. For more information, visit www.cranberryinstitute.org. 

Also: Dr Paul Keyes on cranberries...

More...

The Cranberry Institute has a great deal of information on the health benefits of cranberries, including this article on their 'Dental' page:

A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association reported that a unique cranberry juice component, a high-molecular-weight nondialysable material (NDM), has the ability to reverse and inhibit the coaggregation of certain oral bacteria responsible for dental plaque and periodontal disease in vitro.58 In addition to cranberry, NDM was isolated from blueberries, mangos, peaches, plums and raspberries. Only weak activity was found in blueberry and the other fruits tested showed no inhibition activity.

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition reported on a preliminary clinical trial using a mouthwash containing cranberry NDM.59 Saliva samples of the experimental group showed a two order of magnitude reduction in Streptococcus mutans colony forming units compared with the placebo group (unpublished data). A large percentage of dental caries (cavities) can be attributed to S. mutans.

Dental plaque is composed primarily of oral bacteria that have attached themselves to the tooth and gum surfaces, and to each other (coaggregation). This biofilm may be comprised of hundreds of species and can be resistant to saliva and mechanical brushing which would otherwise remove these bacteria. Plaque is a major cause of periodontal disease.


Select References:
58. Weiss EI, Lev-Dor R, Kashamn Y, Goldhar J, Sharon N, Ofek I. Inhibiting interspecies coaggregation of plaque bacteria with a cranberry juice constituent. JADA, 1998. 129:1719-1723.

59. Weiss EI, Lev-Dor R, Sharon N, Ofek I. Inhibitory Effect of high-molecular-weight constituent of cranberry on adhesion of oral bacteria. Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition, 2002. 42(Suppl.): 285-292.