Many diverse cultures once believed that dental troubles, such as cavities and gum disease, were caused by a worm burrowing into your tooth. If a tooth hurt, it was attributed to the movement of the worm inside of it. That belief continued even into the 20th century, but since no one had ever found such a worm, they were unable to cure their dental woes. Luckily, we now understand a great deal about the afflictions that trouble our mouths, and can therefore investigate more successful methods of treating and defeating dental illnesses. In some cases, however, we find that the answers to some dental troubles may have been under our noses all along. Astoria dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz, discusses the results of one study that suggests a common food preservative, called nisin, may have the power to slow or even stop tumor growth that can lead to oral cancer.
The Dental and Health Benefits of Nisin
Nisin possesses antibacterial properties that make it effective against harmful microorganisms by altering their cells’ functions. However, experts have recently begun to examine if this same ability can be harnessed and used against other harmful cell types, specifically those of cancerous tumors. (more…)