Meals which contain cheese help to fight tooth decay, according to a study published in the British Dental Journal (1999;187:664). Dr Paula Moynihan (Newcastle Dental School) and colleagues report that "cheese-containing meals increase plaque calcium concentration and thus probably protect against dental caries". An increase in plaque calcium concentration encourages remineralisation and discourages demineralisation (which occurs during tooth decay) of the enamel. The researchers comment that consumption of uncooked cheese after a meal was known to increase plaque calcium concentration, but their research is the first to examine the effects of cooked cheese consumed as part of a meal.