Could a lollipop a day keep the doctor away?
Okemos-based Delta Dental is working with Dr. John’s Candies in Grand Rapids, the University of Michigan, and the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA) to determine if a lollipop can reduce bacteria and fight tooth decay.
The researchers are trying to determine if Dr. John’s orange-flavored, sugarless lollipop can kill the primary bacteria that’s responsible for tooth decay. The product is already on the market. It contains extract of licorice root, which is expected to kill the bacteria.
The target group of the study includes the two most high-risk groups for tooth decay—children ages three to five-years-old, and adults in nursing homes.
The bacteria in the subjects’ mouths will be tested before, during and after using the lollipop.
“Despite great advances, dental decay is one of the most common childhood diseases, with more than half of children ages five to nine having had at least one cavity or filling,” says Jed J. Jacobson, chief science officer at Delta Dental. “At the other end of the spectrum, the oral health of many U.S. elderly nursing home residents can be very poor because disabilities make self-care difficult and access to professional dental treatment may be limited.”
The study will not be concluded for several weeks. The lollipop study is one of several studies funded by Delta Dental.
“Through the Research and Data Institute, we try to help fund things that will help promote good oral health,” says Ari Adler, spokesman for Delta Dental. “This study is one of the latest ones that we’ve helped fund. We’re really committed to this idea that oral health is tied into overall general health.”
Source: Ari Adler, Delta Dental
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie
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