According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, grape seed extracts found in wine could help to prevent cavities and it has been suggested that this information could be used to develop natural products to fight dental diseases. The researchers at the Spanish National Research Council, led by Maria Victoria Moreno-Arribas, said that a large percentage of the world’s population will suffer with dental problems at some time, so this could be good news for people who enjoy a glass of wine now and again.
The researchers revealed that bacteria in the mouth will cause plaque to form, which will damage the teeth and brushing can help to get rid of the plaque but the effects of oral hygiene can be limited. Grape seed extract can slow the growth of bacteria and new studies used this information to establish whether it could help to prevent cavities. In a series of experiments involving red wine, red wine without alcohol, red wine with grape seed extract, and water with 12% ethanol, it was found that the red wine, with or without alcohol, and the wine with grape seed extract were the most effective when it comes to getting rid of the bacteria that causes decay.