Raisins help fight gum and tooth diseases

ATLANTA June 08, 2005 2:12:00 AM IST
Scientists say they've discovered another reason for people to eat raisins: they fight oral bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.
The lead author of the study, Christine Wu, a professor and dean of research at the University of Illinois' College of Dentistry in Chicago, said laboratory analyses show some phytochemicals -- compounds found in some plants -- suppressed the growth of oral bacteria associated with cavities and gum disease.
Wu and her co-workers performed routine chemical analyses to determine the phytochemicals that inhibit the growth of two species of oral bacteria. The compounds were effective against the bacteria at concentrations ranging from about 200 to 1,000 micrograms per milliliter.