USA - Eastman dentist receives funds for researching cavity-preventing foods

Eastman dentist receives funds for researching cavity-preventing foods
Justina Wang • Staff writer • November 3, 2008
A dentist at the Eastman Dental Center has received $1.6 million from the National Institutes of Health to come up with ways to prevent cavities using foods and other natural substances.
Hyun "Michael" Koo will use the money to continue his research, which has found that chemicals in everything from cranberry juice to red wine grapes can stave off cavity-causing bacteria.
According to his studies, cranberry compounds can prevent bacteria from clinging to tooth surfaces and disrupt the formation of plaque, while red wine grapes could break up the molecules of the bacteria and stop the secretion of decay-causing acids. Koo and his team of researchers have also used a sticky substance made by honeybees to inhibit enzymes that cause plaque.
While consumers can't immediately use those findings to stave off cavities — the sugar in cranberry juice, for example, quite likely causes more decay than beneficial compounds protect against — Koo is researching how to isolate the useful chemicals from foods and combine them with fluoride.
The NIH grant will let him analyze the amounts of natural chemicals to use to best protect against decay. His research could eventually lead to new toothpastes or dental treatments that require less fluoride.
A former food scientist, Koo's work has earned him worldwide recognition, including a Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Association of Dental Research, and an Innovation in Oral Care Award from the International Association of Dental Research and GlaxoSmithKline.

JUWANG@DemocratandChronicle.com