The Cavity-Fighting Power of Cheese:
New research suggests that patients may have a new tool to help prevent the development of cavities-cheese. A recent study published in General Dentistry, the journal ...of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), found that cheese changes the pH of the oral environment, suggesting that it may help reduce the risk of tooth erosion. The researchers randomly divided
68 subjects aged 12 to 15 years into
three groups and monitored dental plaque pH before and after their consumption of sugar-free yogurt, milk, or cheddar cheese. Levels of pH were measured 10, 20, and 30 minutes after eating or drinking.
A change in pH was only obser ved
in the individuals who consumed cheese, whose oral pH rose at each time interval. The act of chewing stimulates saliva production and is at least partly responsible for the rise in pH. Compounds in cheese may also adhere to teeth, creating additional protection, the authors hypothesized.
