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Garlic Toothpaste, Anyone? |
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Written by Vu Le, DDS
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 Garlic extract in toothpaste or mouthwash may stop the initiation of cavities, reports researchers from Iran. Would you use it?
The great majority of cavities (proper term: carious lesions) are initiated (started) by one and only one species of bacteria: streptococcus mutans, otherwise known as strep mutans, or s. mutans. The researchers used the very hardiest strains they could find, multi-drug resistant s. mutans. These bugs can't even be killed with most common antibiotics, or even our prescription anti-bacterial mouthwash, chlorhexidine.
What they found was that garlic extract, at least in vitro (test in petri dishes), had a germ inhibiting effect several hundred times stronger than any other drug. In other words, garlic extract kills bacteria that antibiotics can't.
Their suggestion is that we try putting garlic extract in toothpastes or mouthwashes in order to fight cavities. 
Dr. Le's commentary:
It may take a lot of mint flavoring to cover up the taste. And just how would the products industry market it? Garlic pills haven't exactly set the supplement world on fire. Don't count on this new ingredient in American toothpaste anytime soon.
Read the original abstract here.
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