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    Int J Oral Sci. 2011 Jan;3(1):13-20. doi: 10.4248/IJOS11005.

    Development and evaluation of a safe and effective sugar-free herbal lollipop that kills cavity-causing bacteria.

    Source

    School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.

    Abstract

    Dental caries (tooth decay) is caused by a specific group of cariogenic bacteria, like Streptococcus mutans, which convert dietary sugars into acids that dissolve the mineral in tooth structure. Killing cariogenic bacteria is an effective way to control or prevent tooth decay. In a previous study, we discovered a novel compound (Glycyrrhizol A), from the extraction of licorice roots, with strong antimicrobial activity against cariogenic bacteria. In the current study, we developed a method to produce these specific herbal extracts in large quantities, and then used these extracts to develop a sugar-free lollipop that effectively kills cariogenic bacteria like Streptococcus mutans. Further studies showed that these sugar-free lollipops are safe and their antimicrobial activity is stable. Two pilot human studies indicate that a brief application of these lollipops (twice a day for ten days) led to a marked reduction of cariogenic bacteria in oral cavity among most human subjects tested. This herbal lollipop could be a novel tool to promote oral health through functional foods.

    PMID:
    21449211
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
    PMCID:
    PMC3469870
    Free PMC Article

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