From coconut oil a natural antibiotic against tooth decay

Coconut oil, treated with a particular enzyme, is able to counteract the onset of tooth decay.

Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous

Coconut oil, treated with a particular enzyme, is able to counteract the onset of caries.

To reveal this particular properties of coconut oil is a group of Irish scientists from theAthlone Institute of Technology, who discovered how this natural substance - if properly treated with enzymes, according to a process that closely resembles that of digestion - is able to effectively counteract the spread of bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Illustrated at the Society for General Microbiology Autumn Conference at the University of Warwick, the research has highlighted the phases and results of the tests carried out by scholars, who monitored both the effects of natural coconut oil and the results given by the oil itself treated with enzymes.

The tests showed that the second combination (coconut oil combined with an enzyme that simulates the digestion process) had a surprising result on the Streptococci usually present in the mouth, and especially on the type changing, a bacterium that produces the acids responsible for tooth decay.

The researchers say the coconut oil-modified enzyme has potential as a marketable antimicrobial of particular interest to the oral care industry. Dr. Brady, head of the study said: "

“Dental caries is a commonly overlooked health problem affecting 60-90% of children and most adults in industrialized countries. Incorporating coconut oil-modified enzyme into dental hygiene products could be one valid alternative to chemical additives. Also, as antibiotic resistance increases, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to fight microbial infection. "

But that's not all, because - apparently - in addition to being an effective weapon against tooth decay, thecoconut oil is also able to effectively counteract Candida albicans, or yeast that causes the annoying candida!

The discovery then opens a new scenario in the treatment of some pathologies, which will give space to further research and experimentation. In all likelihood, the "digested" coconut oil will be inserted into toothpastes and mouthwashes and will be yet another demonstration that surprising benefits can be derived from nature!

Verdiana Amorosi