Q. I read that cinnamon is good against plaque. Can you tell me how to take it?
A. Research funded by the Wrigley Company has found that chewing cinnamon gum (Big Red, for example) can kill bacteria in the mouth that cause bad breath. There is no indication, however, that these bacteria are also involved in the tooth plaque that causes tooth decay.
Gum that contains the natural sugar substitute xylitol (Aquafresh Dental Gum, Carefree Koolerz, Spry, Stimorol, etc) can reduce mouth bacteria that cause plaque and cavities.