Drink Red Wine for Your Teeth!

Polyphenols in red wine can prevent cavities and plaque build-up, researchers say. They compounds block a molecule made by the bacteria streptococcus mutans, which are found in all our mouths, said researcher Hyun Koo, a microbiologist at University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. These bacteria break down sugar we eat and make sticky molecules called glucans, which let bacteria to cling to our teeth and damage their surfaces, Koo told MyHealthNewsDaily.  The polyphenols can block the ability of S. mutans to make glucans, letting the good bacteria in the mouth thrive, while disabling the bad bacteria from sticking to the teeth, Koo said.

Sources: MyHealthNewsDaily, msnbc