Cranberries to the Rescue! The Hero in Fending off Oral Thrush

Cranberries can be a delicious snack on the go and, in form of juice, can be a great way to quench your thirst. Along with being a healthy component to a meal, studies have shown that cranberries may very well keep oral thrush away!

Oral thrush is a common condition where a fungus called Candida albicans that can be found on the lining of your mouth. Oral thrush can leave white lesions, usually foud on the tongue or inner cheeks. These lesions can be very painful and can bleed when scraped. If oral thrush is not treated, it can spread to the roof of the mouth, the tonsils and even the back of the throat.

So what exactly causes thrush? Small amounts of fungus can be found in the mouth, digestive tract and skin of completely healthy people. Fungus is usually kept in check by bacteria and microorganisms found in the body. However, stress and certain medications which can cause fungus to grow without a check in the body.

Oral thrush can affect all age groups including babies, who can pass the infection onto their mothers during breast-feeding. Those who smoke or wear dentures are also at a higher risk of developing thrush.

Researchers at Rutgers University and the University of Laval in Quebec, Canada found that in ingredient in cranberry called AC-PAC that is successful in inhibiting the disease-causing properties of Candida albicans. AC-PAC works to prevent biofilm from forming at the gumline. C. albicans are prone to stick to the oral epithelial cells and saliva-coated resin discs. Because this infection needs to stick to biofilm to spread, AC-PAC can prevent the infection by decreasing adherence, and thus, decreasing infection rates.

Cranberries don’t only come to the rescue in terms of oral thrush; studies have shown that cranberry juice is effective in preventing plaque formation on teeth. Drinking cranberry juice daily is great for fighting off urinary infections and can even kill off bacteria that is known to be the cause of stomach cancer and ulcers.

Many may say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but cranberries may also do the trick and maintain your oral and overall health! If you have any more questions, feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and the caring team at Wellesley Dental Group if you have any thoughts or concerns; they will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.

Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Kim or Dr.Pradhan. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other oral surgery needs Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.

References:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-health-thrush
http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/ADA/2012/article/ADA-06-Cranberries-may-combat-oral-thrush.cvs
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15814415/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/research-shows-health-benefits-cranberries/#.Uxo-Nxw7vNk