Natural methods of cavity prevention
Natural methods of cavity prevention focus on strategies to inhibit the development of dental caries, which are primarily caused by the bacterium Streptococcus mutans. One of the most promising natural treatments is xylitol, a sugar substitute shown in numerous studies to significantly reduce cavity incidence, particularly when delivered through gum or toothpaste. Other proposed natural remedies include probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus GG, which may help manage harmful bacteria in the mouth, and sorbitol, which has similar effects as xylitol in children but is less effective for adults.
Additionally, various natural substances, such as cranberry juice, licorice root, and green tea, have shown potential in cavity prevention by reducing acid production and inhibiting bacterial growth. Oil pulling, an ancient practice, has also gained attention for its ability to reduce plaque and gingivitis. While certain treatments like calcium-rich chewing gum and aloe vera have been explored, scientific backing remains limited. Despite the focus on these natural methods, fluoride toothpaste continues to be recognized as a highly effective means of preventing cavities. This multifaceted approach highlights the importance of both traditional and emerging natural treatments in oral health care.
Natural methods of cavity prevention
- DEFINITION: Prevention and treatment of the dissolving of the enamel of teeth.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENT: Xylitol
- OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Aloe vera, black tea, calcium, chitosan, cranberry, green tea, hops, licorice root, myrrh, probiotics, propolis, sanguinaria, sorbitol, regular brushing and flossing, oil pulling
Introduction
Cavities, technically called dental caries, are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus mutans. This bacterium lives in the mouth and thrives on sugar and other carbohydrates. In the presence of carbohydrates, S. mutans produces acids that dissolve the enamel of teeth, causing cavities.
Strong evidence indicates that fluoride toothpastes help prevent cavities. Because these toothpastes are so widely used, water fluoridation is probably of little to no value except in poorer, less developed countries where the use of fluoride toothpastes is not so common and widespread.
Fluoride rinses may offer some additional benefits. However, little to no scientific support exists for using the much more expensive, professionally applied fluoride varnishes.
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
Double-blind studies enrolling almost four thousand people, mostly children, have found that the natural sugar xylitol can prevent cavities. These trials used xylitol-sweetened gum, candies, or toothpaste. The best evidence regards xylitol gum. One study suggested that the candy “gummy bears” may be an effective alternative method of administering xylitol to children. Xylitol is thought to prevent cavities by inhibiting the growth of S. mutans.
In one of the largest of these trials, researchers tested gum sweetened with various concentrations of xylitol or sorbitol (or both) with gum sweetened with sucrose and a control group receiving no gum. This forty-month trial was completed by 861 children. Gum containing 100 percent xylitol reduced the incidence of cavities the most. However, all the xylitol and sorbitol gum groups showed significant reductions in cavities compared to the control group. In contrast, the children receiving sucrose-sweetened gum had a slight increase in cavities compared to the control group.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 1,677 children compared a standard fluoride toothpaste with a similar toothpaste containing 10 percent xylitol. Over the three-year study period, children given the xylitol-enriched toothpaste developed significantly fewer cavities than those in the fluoride-only group. Studies in adults and children have shown similar results for xylitol gum and candy. Another series of studies suggests that children acquire cavity-causing bacteria from their mothers, and that regular use of xylitol by a mother of a newborn child may provide long-lasting protection to the child.
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
Another sugar substitute called sorbitol may work as well as xylitol to prevent cavities in children. However, xylitol appears to work better than sorbitol to prevent cavities in adults.
Friendly bacteria (probiotics) have been proposed to prevent cavities because they can fight harmful cavity-causing bacteria. The best evidence regards a probiotic product called Lactobacillus GG (LGG). In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 594 children aged one to six years were given either normal milk or milk with LGG. After the seven-month trial, the results showed significantly fewer cavities in the children receiving LGG.
One preliminary study found suggestive evidence that toothpaste containing the herb sanguinaria (bloodroot) plus fluoride is more effective for cavity prevention than fluoride alone. Weak evidence hints at the benefits of chewing gum that contains chitosan. Cranberry juice has also shown some promise, as it has a special extract of hops called hop bracts polyphenols.
One study failed to find benefits from calcium-rich chewing gum. Other natural treatments that have been proposed for preventing cavities but that lack meaningful scientific support include black tea, myrrh, and propolis.
Several other natural treatments for cavities emerged in the twenty-first century thanks to expanding clinical study. Oil pulling, a natural treatment with roots in Ayurvedic medicine, was shown to reduce plaque, gingivitis, and bacteria in the mouth in two studies published in 2017 and 2020. Studies published in 2019 and 2021 showed licorice root as an effective home remedy for cavities. Small studies also pointed to the effects of topical aloe vera gel and modified eggshells, which have high calcium content. Diets high in vitamin D were also known to prevent cavities. Green tea is believed to help prevent cavities due to its ability to decrease acid production and inhibit bacterial growth in the mouth. However, studies published in 2018 and 2019 continued to highlight the importance of fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinses as the most effective natural treatment for preventing cavities.
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