A TASTY way to unlock the mysteries of oral diseases.
That’s the dream of Wichita State Professor David McDonald and Graduate Assistant Alisha Prince as they look at fruits and natural extracts as alternatives to conventional teeth cleaning and treatment of oral diseases.
They are studying the synergistic properties contained in cranberries and other natural extracts that, in theory, stop tooth decay.
“We knew these substances would help aid in the fight against oral diseases, but the synergy of them working together had never really been observed before,” says Ms. Prince.
Ms. Prince measures and observes how bacteria respond to the mixtures of cranberry and other natural extracts each of which affects bacterial growth in different ways.
Prof. McDonald says the trial and error of finding the perfect combination is hard research work. “We will continue to work through each combination, one at a time, until we find the results we’re looking for.”
For support, the researchers have turned to a popular American brand behind many juices and snacks which, in turn, has provided the natural fruit extracts to the two researchers, starting with those from cranberries, for research and development.
“There is a real disconnect from the dental industry with biological sciences,” says Ms. Prince. “Finding the link between these two areas of health care will be essential to stopping bacteria and viruses of the future.”
She combines her experience from a dental school in India, her home country, and her advocacy for people who never had the chance to access oral health care.
The lack of access to health care is an issue common in India. Because of this limited access, gum diseases are common, a situation also found in developing countries where health care coverage is limited.
Ms. Prince wants to continue working as a dental professional. She also knows that her expertise with microbiology is an asset in finding solutions to a complex problem.
Ms. Prince has found an ideal partner. The Wichita State University is an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for the state of Kansas. It is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges.
The Graduate School offers 45 master’s and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State’s Innovation Campus is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university’s vast resources and technology.
Here in our country, for example, the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has named the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), University of San Carlos (USC), and Central Mindanao University (CMU) as leading centers for drug discovery research.
As Tuklas Lunas Development Centers, CLSU, USC, and CMU are provided with equipment and research grants necessary for conducting research and enhancing institutional research capacity. They will facilitate collaborative researches among universities and research institutions in their areas to complement each others’ expertise.
Based on their excellent research and development track record, competitive staff and institutional capacity, there are several Tuklas Lunas Development Centers, formerly called as Natural Substance Research Program, a drug discovery development program which seeks to provide solutions on the countries’ pressing medical needs.
We are hoping for a time that researchers like Prof. McDonald and Ms. Prince would be able to develop natural substances in developing local medications for oral health./PN
Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
