Brushing your teeth isn’t the only way to prevent cavities. New research shows that cranberry juice also curbs tooth decay. The juice contains a chemical that blocks cavity-causing bacteria from sticking to your teeth.  Sound strange? Keep reading...

In addition to being a holiday side-dish, the tart cranberry is well known for its work against urinary tract infections. Okay, okay, so you probably wouldn't discuss this at the dinner table, but get this: scientists at New York's University of Rochester Medical Center believe that one of the ways cranberries prevent urinary tract infections is by inhibiting pathogens, the bad bacteria, from sticking on the surface of the bladder and causing an infection.

Ah, thought the scientists, perhaps the same is true in other body places, say the mouth, where bacteria use adhesion molecules like tiny suction cups to hold on to teeth. Sure enough. They found that cranberry juice stopped the adhesion process. The cavity-causing bacteria can't do their dirty work without latching onto your teeth.

On a little bit of a sour note though, before you serve extra helpings of cranberry sauce, remember that the studies only included unsweetened cranberry juice. Not to be outdone, the scientists plan to isolate cranberry's anticavity chemical, which may one day show up in your toothpaste and mouthwash. Meanwhile, keep brushing and flossing...