Sweet remedy: Eating grapes may help prevent tooth decay

ISLAMABAD: Eating grapes can protect teeth from decaying as a natural compound found in grapes strengthens teeth, according to a new research.

Scientists from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry said that this discovery could stop people from losing teeth as the grape seed extract—a byproduct—which is linked to health benefits, such as improved heart function and better circulation, health news reported.

Now, the substance could reduce tooth extractions by increasing the longevity of composite-resin fillings which typically last only five to seven years.

The results suggested that the extract has been found to toughen dentin, the tissue that makes up the bulk of the tooth, which lies beneath the hard external enamel.

This means that when teeth are damaged, the remaining structure can be made stronger to bond with materials used in fillings.

It could spell good news for patients who opt for resin fillings because they are more aesthetically pleasing, even though they are not as tough amalgam fillings, which last 10 to 15 years or more.

A researcher Dr Ana Bedran-Russo said that when fillings fail, decay forms around it and the seal is lost. The team wants to reinforce the interface, which will make the resin bond better to the dentin.