raw honey

[Guest guest]

What's New in Health Care

Honey for Your Teeth Feb. 28, 2001 (Ivanhoe Newswire)

-- Honey may be a valuable tool in preventing tooth decay, say

scientists.

Researchers from the University of Waikato in New Zealand have found

honey not only stops the growth of plaque bacteria in the mouth, it

also reduces the amount of acid produced. Honey helps suppress the

plaque formation because it contains an enzyme that produces

hydrogen peroxide, which researchers believe is the main reason for

honey's antimicrobial activity.

 

 

Peter C. Molan, M.D., from the University of Waikato says types of

honey high in anitmicrobial activity may be potential treatments for

periodontal disease and gingivitis. He says honey has the ability to

clear bacteria from infected wounds but is gentler on the tissue

than other antiseptics. It has the ability to remove swelling and

pain and can stimulate the growth of cells that repair tissues

damaged by infection.

 

 

Dr. Molan will be presenting his research on honey and oral health

at the American Association for Dental Research annual meeting in

Chicago on March 9, 2001.

 

 

2001 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.

 

 

Sweet Honey for Healthy Teeth March 13, 2001 By Hong Mautz

CBSHealthWatch

 

 

March 9 (CBSHealthWatch)--It may sound like a paradox if not a

downright contradiction, but honey--sweet, sweet honey--protects

against tooth decay, according to a new study presented this week at

the " Functional Foods for Oral Health " symposium, part of the annual

meeting of the American Association for Dental Research in Chicago,

Illinois. Researchers in New Zealand conducted laboratory research

to test the effect of honey on several species of dental plaque

bacteria. Researchers tested unprocessed honey with midrange

antibacterial potency and found that honey protects against tooth

decay. " By using average-potency honeys, the growth of bacteria is

stopped completely, " says lead researcher Peter Molan, PhD,

associate professor of biochemistry and director of the Honey

Research Unit at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. " Honey has

components that prevent dental plaque from forming. " The bacterial

species responsible for dental caries--including Streptococcus

mitis, Streptococcus sobrinus, and Lactobacillus caseii--were tested

in a lab. Researchers measured the amount acid produced by these

bacteria and found that honey sharply reduced the quantity. " It

almost cut the acid production down to zero, " says Molan. " Honey

also stopped the bacteria from producing dextran, which is a

component of dental plaque. " The researchers say that unprocessed

honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. The guess

is that it is mainly responsible for the unlikely antimicrobial

activity of honey. The researchers also say that the honey also made

a difference in fighting inflammatory infections of the gum, and

they say that honey could be used in treating periodontal disease

and gingivitis, which are inflammatory conditions resulting from

infected gums. The anti-inflammatory abilities of honey were potent,

removing swelling and pain rapidly. " Honey has shown fantastic

results in healing wounds, " says Molan. " It has good anti-

inflammatory components, which clears the infection. " Researchers

say that honey producers in New Zealand and Australia have batches

of honey tested in the laboratory to identify the samples with high

antimicrobial activity. Those types of honey are labeled

as " antiseptic " and are available to consumers. Marcia Cardetti,

director of scientific affairs at the National Honey Board in the

United States, says that the board is now coordinating efforts to

have varieties of honey found in the United States tested to

identify the types that have good antimicrobial activity. " We'll

recommend what the findings show, " says Cardetti. Cardetti points

out that although it is not common knowledge that honey can protect

against dental disease, the findings are good news for

consumers. " Consumers ought to know that honey has this benefit for

dental health: Perhaps they can make it as part of their diet, " says

Cardetti. Cardetti says that raw, unprocessed honey is available in

the United States, usually from beekeepers or farmer's

markets. " What we need to do is to distinguish which types of honey

contain potent antimicrobial properties, " says Cardetti