It is that time of year when many illnesses are easily spread among the public. Healthcare workers in various settings do their best to stay well and continue treating their patients. Sometimes, despite a healthy diet, a good night's sleep, and minimal stress, our body's immune system is helpless, and we end up contracting some infections. No one likes to feel other than their best.
Tracee Dahm, RDH.
One of the more common illnesses is a gastrointestinal illness called viral gastroenteritis, more commonly known as stomach flu. The internet recently went crazy claiming that people can prevent viral gastroenteritis if they drank a product commonly sold in stores, but something that one wouldn't think of as a flu fighter -- grape juice. With that in mind, this article wants to clear the air and clarify whether the internet is steadfast in its claim.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the stomach flu causes 19 to 21 million illnesses yearly. It is caused by several different viruses and, in sporadic cases, can be induced by bacteria in the intestinal tract.
The most common stomach flu viruses are norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, and astrovirus. Norovirus is the most common of all gastroenteritis viruses. These viruses cause similar symptoms, such as upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach aches and irritations, fever, cramping, and headaches. All the symptoms can range in severity and last anywhere from a few days to two weeks.
Since the stomach flu is so contagious, it is commonly spread in areas where people are in close contact with each other, such as schools or family life ... or dental practices.
Many people cringe at the thought of contracting viral gastroenteritis since it disrupts their personal and professional lives. If there were a way to stop the stomach flu, it would most likely gain attention and popularity. Thus, it is no surprise that the public has decided to stop and listen because the internet claims to offer a defense against the stomach flu.
The rumor is that if you think you've been exposed to a stomach bug and you have yet to show symptoms, you can drink several glasses of grape juice daily, which will alter your stomach pH levels so you cannot contract the virus. The most common suggestion was three 8-ounce glasses a day, and the color of the grape juice did not matter. This suggestion stems from research done in the 1970s in a laboratory setting that reported that select fruits could alter viruses. Unfortunately, none of those studies were conducted on humans, and the testing did not go into much further detail.
In addition, grapes are considered a super healing fruit because of their antiviral properties. For fruits to confer their superpower effects on our bodies, we need to drink natural fruit sources. However, most grape juices sold in stores contain vast quantities of sugar and water, so there are not as many grapes as one would expect in an 8-ounce pour.
Dental professionals should be concerned about patients drinking several glasses of grape juice to prevent stomach flu because it alters the mouth. Grape juice can stain the teeth due to Concord grapes being a natural dark pigment. In addition, grape juice is acidic and can alter enamel. Grapes also make the mouth feel parched due to the tannins they contain. Dental professionals know that patients who battle xerostomia are already at increased risk for oral decay. If they start to drink copious amounts of grape juice to fight gastroenteritis, they might increase their xerostomia.
Finally, fruit juices, not only particularly grapes, all contain sugar and can lead to diabetes, weight gain, caries, and obesity when consumed with high frequency. Sometimes, the public misconstrues fruit juices as a healthy drink alternative compared to soda because terms such as "vitamins" and "antioxidants" are used to market many juice products to consumers.
Unfortunately, the vitamins are in such trace amounts that they do not outweigh the risk of drinking sugar. Dental team members can help patients by giving nutritional counseling and oral hygiene instructions to any patient who is unsure if grape juice provides health benefits.
Despite the idea of grape juice being a quick and easy remedy, science says it is not. There is currently no one remedy that will prevent anyone from contracting the stomach flu. Instead, medical experts recommend that you wash your hands frequently to stop the spread of illnesses. If you are unfortunate enough to get viral gastroenteritis, staying home until you are feeling well and have not shown any symptoms for 24 hours is highly recommended.
Editor's note: References available upon request.
Tracee S. Dahm, MS, RDH, is an adjunct clinical instructor for the North Idaho College School of Dental Hygiene in Coeur d’Alene, ID. She also works in private practice. Dahm has published articles in several dental journals, magazines, and a textbook. Her research interests include trends in dental hygiene and improving access to dental care for the underserved. She can be reached at [email protected].
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
