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Honey has been used throughout history for a wide selection of uses. Not only to sweeten foods and in the creation of make up, but also to treat diseases and infections, because it produces hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct.

The reason for this excitement is the discovery that Manuka honey, which is honey made in New Zealand and Australia, may have the ability to prevent cavities and plaque, because of its antibacterial nature.

While not all honeys have the equal levels of cavity and plaque-fighting abilities, it was noted that Manuka honey samples “were found to still have significant antibacterial activity – a non-peroxide antibacterial activity” after the hydrogen peroxide element in honey was removed in lab tests performed by Associate Professor in Biochemistry at The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand, Dr. Peter Molan.

In The Honey Prescription: The Amazing Power of Honey As Medicine, written by Nathaniel Altman, Dr. Molan’s research was mentioned again. He “discovered that honey not only stops the growth of bacteria found in dental plaque, but it also reduces the amount of acid produced.”

Bacteria are inhibited from producing the glue (dextrin) that allows them to stick to teeth, and thus can prevent plaque from forming because bacteria have nothing to stick to.

These finding are supported by an article published in The Journal of Innovative Dentistry in 2011 entitled “Efficacy of honey to promote oral wellness”, in which the positive effects of honey are discussed.