Honey could help reduce dental cavities. This is the finding of recent research by Dr. Peter C. Molan, Associate Professor of Biochemistry at theUniversity of Waikato, New Zealand. Dr. Molan has shown that honey not only stops the growth of thedental plaque bacteria, it reduces the amount of acid produced, which stops the bacteria from producing dextran. Dextran, a component of dental plaque, is the gummy polysaccharide that the bacteria produce in order to adhere to the surface of the teeth. This research reveals the potential for the use of selected highly antimicrobial types of honey in the treatment of periodontal disease and gingivitis. Honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide which is believed to be the main reason for the antimicrobial activity of honey. Types of honey differ greatly in their antimicrobial potency, varying as much as a hundred fold. Dr. Molan heads the University of Waikato Honey Research Unit. In New Zealand and Australia, honey producers have batches of honey tested in the laboratory in order to identify the samples with high activity. Thosetypes are now labelled and marketed as "antiseptic."
