We already know the benefits of eating dairy products to maintain good health in general (cardiovascular diseases, bone health or even diabetes). But little work has been done to study the impact of their consumption on oral health.
Indian researchers have just demonstrated that cheese was better than other dairy products in protecting our teeth from cavities. Their results published in General Dentistry were obtained on a panel of 68 teenagers aged 12 to 15. Dr. Ravishankar Telgi of Kothiwal Dental College and Research Center in India asked one group to eat cheese, a second group to drink unsweetened yoghurt and a third group to drink a glass of milk. Each group ate their dairy product for three minutes before drinking water. The pH of dental plaque (acidity of the mouth) was measured in the mouth of each of the youngsters 10, 20 and 30 minutes after consumption. A pH lower than 5.5 exposes the teeth to a risk of erosion, which damages the enamel. “The more the pH exceeds 5.5, the lower the risk of developing cavities”, adds Dr. Vipul Yadav, co-author of the study.
Cheese, an alternative to sweets
Cheese consumers are those whose pH has increased significantly, unlike the other groups who have not experienced a clear change in their pH.
This rise in pH could be explained by the production of saliva linked to chewing. We already know that saliva decreases the acidity of the mouth after the consumption of sugary foods, preventing theappearance of cavities. But it would also seem that certain components of cheese such as casein add to the effect of saliva, by adhering to the dental enamel, they would protect the teeth from acid attacks.
