Between supporters of a healthy lifestyle and those who like to skip a couple of glasses of red wine at dinner, discussions constantly flare up about which of them is right and who is deeply mistaken. Despite the fact that alcohol in large quantities is undoubtedly harmful to the human body, scientists from year to year discover new properties of alcoholic beverages, which can hardly be called “negative”. This time, researchers have found that ingredients in red wine prevent tooth and gum disease.
Previously, it was scientifically proven that the components contained in red wine can improve the condition of the heart muscles and even reduce the risk of cancer. The positive properties of wines are mainly based on their components called polyphenols. The fruit from which spirits are made use polyphenols to fight harmful bacteria. In addition, polyphenols can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and even slow down the aging process, according to some studies (which, of course, are questioned by many).
The best known polyphenol is resveratrol, a natural phytoalexin that can protect grapes from bacteria and even fungi. It has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and even blood sugar-lowering properties that have been proven in numerous laboratory experiments in mice. Resveratrol is found not only in grapes, but also in a number of other fruits and berries, cocoa beans and nuts. Its concentration in red wine averages from 0.2 to 5.8 milligrams per liter. In white wine, due to the peculiarities of production, the concentration of polyphenol is significantly lower.
Previously, the antioxidant properties of polyphenols contained in wine were studied exclusively in the digestive tract. But this time the scientists decided to study what happens to these components before they enter the stomach. First of all, they were interested in the question: how does wine affect the bacteria living in the oral cavity, and are the causes of diseases of the teeth and gums. Caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid were chosen as the studied polyphenols. These substances really made it difficult for bacteria to attach to gum cells, but by themselves they acted significantly more efficiently than if in combination with the rest of the components of red wine.
In an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the researchers emphasize that they are not encouraging anyone to rinse their mouth with red wine before bed. However, the obvious conclusion made by scientists was the assumption that on the basis of such polyphenols it is possible to create very effective preparations for oral hygiene.
Sergey Gray
