How milk zaps tooth decay by cancelling out the effect of sugary foods

Milk is better than water at preventing the bacteria in plaque from producing acids when they are feasting on sugar, researchers said.

Got milk? Having a glass of milk with sugary snacks or at the end of a meal can neutralise the effect sweet foods have on the enamel

By stopping the bacteria from churning out acid, tooth enamel is protected, meaning decay and caries are less likely to develop over time. 

The researchers said: ‘Eating dairy products in combination with other sugary snacks or at the end of a meal may be an effective means of caries prevention.’

 

Given by injection, it could potentially be a safe, effective and low-cost treatment for ovarian and other cancers, say US scientists.

Reporting in Science Translational Medicine, they call for large-scale government clinical trials.
Pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to run trials, as vitamins cannot be patented.
Vitamin C has long been used as an alternative therapy for cancer.

In the 1970s, chemist Linus Pauling reported that vitamin C given intravenously was effective in treating cancer.