Green Tea May Promote Healthy Teeth and Gums

 

 

With origins dating back over 4,000 years, green tea has been a popular beverage in Asian culture, and has gained popularity in the United States, as well. Ancient Chinese and Japanese medicines believed consuming green tea could cure disease and heal wounds.  Recent scientific studies are beginning to establish the potential health benefits of drinking green tea, especially in weight loss, heart health, and cancer prevention.

A study recently published in the Journal of Periodontology – a publication of the American Academy of Periodontology – has uncovered yet another benefit of green tea; it may help promote healthy teeth and gums. The study analyzed the periodontal health of 940 men, and found that those who regularly drank green tea had superior periodontal health than those who consumed less green tea.

Male participants aged 49 through 59 were examined on three indicators of periodontal disease: periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment loss of gum tissue, and bleeding on probing of the gum tissue. Researchers observed that for every one cup of green tea consumed per day, there was a decrease in all three indicators, therefore signifying a lower instance of periodontal disease in those subjects who regularly drank green tea.

Green tea’s ability to help reduce symptoms of periodontal disease may be due to the presence of the antioxidant catechin. Previous research has demonstrated antioxidants’ ability to reduce inflammation in the body, and the indicators of periodontal disease measured in the study suggest the existence of an inflammatory response to periodontal bacteria in the mouth. By interfering with the body’s inflammatory response to periodontal bacteria, green tea may actually help promote periodontal health, and ward off further disease.