Maybe it's time to eat cranberries year round. Cranberries not only help prevent urinary tract infections, but also prevent tooth decay and cavities, says Reuters of new research from the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York.

Cranberries have these positive health effects by preventing bacteria from forming in the bladder or clinging to teeth. The fruit also helps ward off plaque that can harbor bacteria and irritate gums. Lead study author and oral biologist Hyuan Koo said the goal is to extract the protective properties from cranberries and then add them to toothpaste or mouthwash. But before that can be done, scientists have to figure out why the fruit is so effective at preventing cavities.

Warning: This may be exciting news, but Koo insists we shouldn't go overboard eating cranberries or drinking cranberry juice. Why? It's the added sugar. "The biggest problem with any cranberry product is the food industry--they add sugar," he said in an interview with Reuters reporter Susan Heavey. "Sugar is the main enemy in causing cavities." Cranberries also contain a natural acid that can strip away essential minerals in teeth. Don't even think about giving up your mouthwash to swish with cranberry juice instead!

For this study, the team coated something called hydroxyapatite, a synthetic material that acts like tooth enamel, with cranberry juice. When cavity-causing bacteria were added to it, cranberries were about 80 percent effective in protecting teeth.