Wasabi: an ally in the fight against dental bacteria?

Do you know wasabi? This extra strong green mustard that comes from Japan and that is mainly consumed with sushi is also known to fight tooth decay. We even find today in the trade of wasabi toothpastes.

What is wasabi?

Wasabi is a plant of the brassica family. Its name can literally be translated as “mountain hollyhock”. It belongs to the same botanical family as horseradish and mustard.

served with raw foodOriginal to Japan, its range covers an area from Sakhalin Island to Kyūshū Island. The plant grows naturally on wet and cool parts of the territory, on the banks of streams, rivers and all freshwater streams.

Wasabi is widely used as a condiment in Asian cuisine. Only its stem is taken to make a green paste that is called by extension wasabi. Its flavor is extremely pungent and its use is inseparable from sushi in particular, but also from all Japanese cuisine.

Why use wasabi for oral health?

The stems contain chemical compounds called isothiocyanates that give wasabi its sinus-clearing properties. Not only do these compounds inhibit microbes, but they can also help treat or prevent blood clotting, asthma and even cancer.

For oral health, wasabi inhibits the growth of streptococcus bacteria which are the form of bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Scientists involved in the study are now encouraging people to eat wasabi two or three times a week to reduce the risk of developing cavities.

Dr. Masuda's theories

The concept of wasabi bacteria fighter was developed by Dr. Hideki Masuda, research director at Ogawa and Company of Japan.

Wasabi is a condiment that the Japanese have been eating for hundreds of years, served with raw foods because of its antimicrobial properties. Based on the premise that wasabi can kill bacteria in food, Dr. Masuda examined its effectiveness against streptococcus mutans, the bacteria that produces acids that degrade toothenamel. He was able to see in his test tube tests that wasabi was effective in inhibiting bacteria.

“The mechanism of action has not yet been fully discovered. Some scientists think that these compounds break down the enzyme in the bacteria's protein, or that they may kill the bacteria itself by suffocating it,” says Dr. Masuda.

He believes that wasabi must be grated into a pulp to release the compounds. Similar elements have been found in regular reinforcement, cabbage and broccoli, suggesting that these vegetables may also help prevent tooth decay.

Research is still ongoing, and if you like thrills, you can try wasabi toothpaste.