Chocolate Constituent Bests Fluoride

Chocolate Constituent Bests Fluoride

www.sciencenews.org

"Chocolate Toothpaste? Extract of Tasty Treat Could Fight Tooth Decay."

That's how Tulane University's news office provocatively titled a press release it issued last week. Sound sweet? Unfortunately, it's anything but. The extract, theobromine, is a bitter constituent of a number of plants, including the beans used to make chocolate. A chemical cousin to caffeine, this compound is also a stimulant—and doesn't taste the least bit chocolaty.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Now, I think this is wonderful news! I eat chocolate all the time. Makes me wonder if dark chocolate is better for your teeth than milk chocolate -- most probably, as dark chocolate is just better, period.

But this is a great day in chocolate history! Chocoholics of the world rejoice!

www.sciencenews.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

The fact that it is an alternative to flouride is good, however I am bit of a "CHEMICAL SKEPTICAL". I use all natural stuff when possible. However if they could create a tooth cleaning, anti cavity,tartar fighting, tooth whitening, breath freshening Hershey bar, I'd buy it for sure!

You just reminded me to grab a handful of bitter-sweet M&Ms.

That brings back my organic chemistry courses from 55 years ago. Three very closely related compounds, caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline all found in varing amounts in coffee, tea and chocolate. They each have different stimulating effects - caffeine is a neural stimulant, theobromine is a cardiac stimulant, and theophylline is a bronchial stimulant.

They didn't know about any effects theobromine had on teeth in those days. Geez, think of how much I could have saved in dentist bills while justifying gorging myself on chocolate.

Occam

so poisonus flouride...

or toothpaste that gets me wired....

Sweeeeeeet

I'm gunna brush my teeth with nutella.

Up and down and side to side.