A cocoa Powder extract that be found naturally in chocolates and teas could be an effective natural alternative to the fluoride in toothpaste, possibly more effective in protecting our teeth from cavities.

That is if the research findings of Tulane University doctoral candidate Arman Sadeghpour in animal models will have the same result in humans. Although Sadeghpour has already created a prototype of peppermint flavored toothpaste with the cavity-fighting cocoa extract added, and his doctoral thesis research compared the extract side by side to fluoride on the enamel surface of human teeth, it will still take another two to four years before the product is approved for human use and available for sale.

IF and only if all clinical trials turn out positively.

The extract, a white crystalline powder whose chemical makeup is similar to caffeine, helps harden teeth enamel, making users less susceptible to tooth decay. The cocoa extract could offer the first major innovation to commercial toothpaste since manufacturers began adding fluoride to toothpaste in 1914.

Well this would really be interesting to watch out for. We may never look at a chocolate bar in the same way again.

Source: Tulane University