Effectiveness Of Licorice In Treating Oral Infections
Scientist have reported the identification of two major substances present in licorice, which has been greatly used in Chinese medicine, that are said to kill the bacteria that is responsible for causing tooth decay and disease of the gum. Tooth decay and gum diseases are the major cause of tooth loss among children and adults. A study published in the Journal of Natural Products suggests that these substances can play a role in treating tooth decay and gum diseases.
According to Stefan Gafner and other researchers, they say that the licorice herb, with emphasis on the dried roots, is common and has been used in the Chinese traditional medicine to enhance the activity of other herbs and as a flavoring agent. Even with the popularity of the licorice used in making candies in the U.S., the licorice used in candies has been replaced with the oil of anise that has the same flavor with licorice. Practitioners of traditional medicine have used the dried roots of the licorice plant in treating a variety of ailments, for instance, problems related to the respiratory system and also digestive problems. However, there are a few scientific investigations conducted that question the effectiveness of licorice. Note, before consuming licorice root, it is necessary and important that one seeks direction from a medical practitioner as the licorice can have react with prescription drugs leading to undesirable side effects. In order to determine if the licorice is effective in treating tooth decay and gum diseases, the researchers had to study each substance present in the licorice individually.
In their studies, the researchers found that the following two compounds; licoricidin and licorisoflavan A had antibacterial properties. In a trial, it was observed that the substances killed the major bacteria that caused dental cavities, and two kinds of bacteria that caused gum diseases. In addition, the substance licoricidin was effective in destroying the third bacterium responsible for gum disease. The researchers concluded that licorice can be used effectively in treating oral infections.
0 comments:
Post a Comment