Coconut oil will become the new ingredient in toothpaste

Just one more Bounty bar could be your referral to the dentist.

However, scientists have also discovered that coconut can be a major aid in the fight against dental disease.

They tested coconut oil against the streptococcus bacteria that sticks to teeth and creates the acid that causes decay. Apparently, when the oil combines with digestive enzymes it becomes a powerful killer of harmful bacteria. This research could pave the way for a new ingredient in toothpaste - coconut. "Caries are a predictable health problem, affecting 60 to 90 percent of children and most adults in developed countries," says Dr. Damien Brady of the Althlone Institute of Technology in Ireland. He points out that adding coconut oil to dental hygiene products could be an attractive alternative to chemical additives.