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March 2014 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Blackberries and
Their Link to Better
Oral Health
By Fiona Young-Brown
If you’re tired of Kentucky being
the butt of many a joke about oral
health, you’re not alone. Many
Kentucky residents face a number
of barriers to receiving quality dental care, including lack of insurance
coverage, lack of access, and poor
diet (the dreaded “Mountain Dew
Mouth”). A Central Kentucky company is hoping to change that with
a series of new products available
at you local grocery store. And the
magic ingredient is the humble blackberry.
Four Tigers, LLC was formed in
2002, a partnership between Paige
Shumate Short and Dr. Russell
Mumper. Short had taken over her
parents’ blackberry farm and Mumper
was a Professor of Pharmaceutical
Sciences at the University of
Kentucky. Although he has since
relocated to the University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, he remains an
important part of Four Tigers, continuing as the company’s President
and Chief Scientific Officer.
Blueberries and cranberries have
received lots of media attention in
recent years for their antioxidants and
health benefits. After hearing about
possible beneficial antioxidants in
black raspberries, Short felt sure that
similar or greater benefits might be
found in the blackberry. And she was
right.
A 2006 study in Clinical Nutrition
found that blackberries have the
highest antioxidant content per serving of any berry, even higher than
that of blueberries. What’s more,
the antioxidants in blackberries are
a specific type. The berries get their
intensely dark color from polyphenol
antioxidants. Research studies have
found that these polyphenols have
anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antimicrobial properties, and those might
all be key to improving the condition
of our mouths.
Dr. Mumper and Dr. Craig Miller
of the University of Kentucky College
of Dentistry have spent several years
researching how the anti-microbial
and anti-viral benefits of these polyphenols might translate to better
oral care. In the September, 2011
issue of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine,
Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology
(OOOOE) they reported their findings in a study exploring the effects
of blackberry extract (BBE) on the
Herpes Simplex Virus. An application
of BBE was found to have virucidal
effects, leading the study authors to
conclude that a topical treatment
containing the extract might prove
highly effective in treating oral lesions
associated with HSV.
A second study was published
in the February, 2013 issue of the
Journal of Periodontal Research,
this time looking at how the extract
might work against various causes
of oral disease. Blackberry extract
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significantly reduced the metabolic
activity of three key oral bacteria:
Porphyromonas gingivalis and
Fusobacterium nucleatum (both
known to cause periodontal disease)
by 40 percent, and Streptococcus
Mutans (responsible for dental caries) by 30 percent. To date, the most
effective method of preventing certain oral bacteria from causing disease
has been the use of mouthwashes
containing chlorhexidine. However,
long-term use can lead to oral staining
and increased tartar build up. BBE
offers a potential alternative that is
safe for long-term use.
In June, 2013, Four Tigers,
LLC began selling its BerryCare
Toothpaste Gum through regional
Kroger supermarkets. One piece of
the gum contains as much polyphenol as one cup of blackberries and
may help to prevent tooth decay. For
the benefits of the toothpaste gum
but with an additional boost, try the
BerryCare Energy Gum, which contains a dose of caffeine. Four Tigers
is now working with the University
of Kentucky to develop a stronger
oral product containing BBE and
the product will be tested in parts
of Eastern Kentucky where dental
care is lacking. If approved, blackberry extract will be only the second
botanical to be approved by the FDA
for proven medicinal purposes.
Find both BerryCare Toothpaste Gum and BerryCare
Energy Gum at your local Kroger store.
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