A chewing stick that Namibians use to clean their teeth has been shown to
contain chemicals that kill the bacteria responsible for cavities and gum
disease. Researchers in the US and South Africa identified six antibacterial
compounds in muthala (Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry, vol 48, p 909). “Antimicrobial chemicals added to modern toothpaste
are equivalent to levels we get from the chewing stick,” says Christine Wu of
the University of Illinois, Chicago.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
2
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
3
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
4
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
5
You should turn off fans when it's too hot 鈥 but how hot is too hot?
6
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far 鈥 plus 6 other great reads
7
Ancient human DNA found on cave art for the first time
8
I have a 100 per cent chance of getting cancer due to a rare gene
9
How some people's brains make an extraordinary recovery from stroke
10
We鈥檝e uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
