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April 01 2006
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Treating Gum Disease With Red Wine?

Red WineThe antioxidant components in red wine polyphenols may have anti-inflammatory effects that could help keep gums healthy and strong.

Free Radicals

Inflammation is the natural response of the immune system to bacteria, such as those present in gum disease.

However, that inflammation can also accelerate production of the dangerous molecules known as free radicals, which can further weaken the already diseased gums. This can in turn lead to inflammation, bleeding, and gradual tissue and bone decay.

Polyphenols Slow Production

However, red wine polyphenols inhibit certain proteins, leading to a slow down of free radical production. This could make it a useful tool in the battle against gum disease.

More than 80 percent of Americans have some form of gum disease. The most serious form, periodontitis, is a chronic bacterial infection.



Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:

Red wine has grown in popularity as a "beneficial" source for antioxidants. There's no doubt, gum disease is an important condition to treat. However, I don't believe drinking red wine is your best health option, considering the alcohol contained in it truly is a metabolic toxin and can be poisonous.

As I've said before about studies touting red wine, I personally do not advocate regularly drinking it. There are many health experts that feel it is fine in moderation, but I am not so certain about this conclusion. This is largely because I am convinced the alcohol itself is actually a neurotoxin, which means it can poison your brain. Additionally, it has the strong potential to seriously disrupt your delicate hormone balance.

There are a large number of other foods that will provide even superior antioxidant protective benefits to red wine. Safer and wiser options to get the antioxidant polyphenols include:

Green tea: Tea has many benefits, including being a cancer fighter. However, drink it only in moderation, as previous research has found high levels of fluoride can be present in some teas.

When you select a green tea to drink regularly it is wise to do your due diligence and confirm that the brand you choose is not high in fluoride. If you are unable to easily confirm this and want to receive some of the benefits that have been described with green tea, we do have a green tea extract in our store that is fluoride free.

Chocolate: Dark chocolate has antioxidant properties, and is far better than milk chocolate, as adding milk cancels out the chocolate's antioxidant effects. However, please understand that just because chocolate is dark, it does not mean it is healthy; most cocoa is processed in ways that destroy the majority of the beneficial polyphenolic bioflavanoids.

Only eat chocolate if you are healthy, since chocolate, even if it is dark, still contains large quantities of sugar, and eating sugar is a profoundly negative influence on your immune system. And in general, consume chocolate in moderation.

Blueberries: Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) have ranked blueberries #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables.

When blueberries are out of season, you can purchase frozen organic blueberries in your local health food store, or for your convenience we offer wild organic blueberries in our store. Also, for your convenience, we carry delicious Wild Blueberry IQ Softgel Capsules that are made from whole fresh blueberries -- and contain 40 mg of potent disease-fighting anthocyanins per capsule, more than any other available supplement!

Grape pomace: This is the waste product of grapes after they are fermented to produce wine. It is primarily the skins and seeds, which are loaded with the beneficial antioxidants. This is not yet a commercially available product, but I have my research team looking into this as I believe this could be one of the most powerful food-based supplements that could be used.


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