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Green Tea and Periodontal Disease

March 5, 2009 Written by JP    [Font too small?]

One of the first things you notice about someone is their smile. It gives you an indication about their mood, personality and quite frankly, their hygiene. But even more importantly, the mouth is the gateway to good nutrition. If we can’t chew properly, then we can’t fully digest our food. Modern science is also building case for the connection between poor periodontal (gum) health and heart disease. So it’s more important than ever to practice good oral care. In today’s blog, I’m going to share some information that can help keep gums and teeth in prime shape.

Putting the Tea in Teeth

Green Tea FieldsA new Japanese study, published in the journal Periodontology, examines the role of green tea consumption and gum disease. In this particular survey, 940 middle-aged men were given a dental evaluation to determine if they had gum disease and if so, to what extent. The dentists performing the exams tested for three common indicators of gum disease: 1) probing depth; 2) clinical attachment loss; 3) bleeding on probing. All the volunteers also submitted dietary questionnaires that focused on beverage intake.

Once the questionnaires and dental exams were matched, a clear trend became apparent. The Japanese men who had better periodontal health were those who drank green tea on a daily basis. In fact, the higher the amount of green tea, the better the volunteers scored on the three dental tests.

The authors of the study theorized that catechins, a group of antioxidants in green tea, may act as natural anti-inflammatories. Gum disease is in part an inflammatory condition. By countering the inflammation, it’s possible that green tea disrupts the damage that would otherwise take place.

Healthy Teeth and Gums

This is excellent news. But it isn’t the first time that science has shown an interest in green tea for oral health. All the way back in 2001, a review article in the Journal of Medical Microbiology postulated several reasons why green tea could bolster healthy teeth and gums. Here’s a brief overview of a few of the dental-friendly mechanisms ascribed to green tea:

  • Green tea may directly fight bacteria responsible for gum disease (S. mutans and S. Sobrinus) and tooth decay.
  • Green tea may help prevent harmful bacteria from adhering to the surface of teeth, the primary cause of cavity formation.

These positive effects plus the anti-inflammatory theory give us a solid basis for considering green tea as a valuable oral aid. The upside of drinking green tea regularly is that it also promotes good health in many other systems in our bodies. That’s a win-win situation, if you ask me.

Note: Please check out the “Comments & Updates” section of this blog – at the bottom of the page. You can find the latest research about this topic there!

Be well!

JP


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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Dental Health, Food and Drink

19 Comments & Updates to “Green Tea and Periodontal Disease”

  1. Mia B. Says:

    “GREEN tea for PINK gums and WHITE teeth”… i LOVE it~!! Thanks!

  2. JP Says:

    Funny but true! 🙂

    Be well!

    JP

  3. Iggy Dalrymple Says:

    I don’t drink huge quantities of vit C fortified green tea like I used to. Now, I keep a pot of green tea with a piece of reishi mushroom. I use it to make porridge, soup, and hot cocoa, plus I take one green tea extract capsule.

    My latest addition to my hot cocoa concoction is one teaspoon of piracetam.

  4. JP Says:

    That’s an excellent combination: green tea and reishi.

    How’s the piracetam working out for you? Are you using it to support for cognitive support or as a general anti-aging supplement?

    Be well!

    JP

  5. Iggy Dalrymple Says:

    Well, I’m so sharp now that Mitch insinuated that I was Dr Wombat.

  6. JP Says:

    I guess that’s one measure of success? 🙂

    Be well!

    JP

  7. Reggie Scots Says:

    Drinking green tea regularly can reduce your chances of developing periodontal disease due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea contains an antioxidant that interferes with the inflammatory response associated with periodontal disease. Just one cup a day is all you need to improve your dental health and reduce your risk of periodontal disease.

  8. Estes Says:

    Inexperienced tea contains Antioxidants and Catechin that is a polyphenolic antioxidant very useful to fight the free radicals that are known to affect the aging method which influence general health in a negative way.

    This drink contains additionally metilxantinas like caffeine, theobromine and theophylline which affect the lipolysis, i.e.the hydrolysis of lipids.

    These substances will increase the metabolism and help to lose weight. Researchers of the University of Geneva in Switzerland found during a study that men who had been given a mixture of green tea extract and caffeine burned additional calories than those that had been given solely caffeine or a placebo.

    I also added Vitamin E oil by cutting up the gel fashioned capsules. Turned out that, even though the Vit E oil was a bit sticky, when 15 minutes of masking, it kinda created my skin glow…. Luckily I didn’t run off from Vit E oil!

    I like how the cold green tea feels on my skin. Its cooling (duh cos I took it out of fridge) and I enjoyed laundry my face with it.

    I’m thinking of making an attempt out Green Tea + honey+ Aspirin mask next!

  9. Terry Says:

    Hi
    i’ve got a question relating to disadvantages of green tea.
    I’ve got heard that drinking too much inexperienced tea, can cause the fat around our eyes to dissolve.
    I’ve got a cousin who drank 3 large cups of inexperienced tea everyday for a year so as to decrease triglycerid level of her blood.She succeeded in that however also the fat round her eyes disolved.Will that have to try and do with drinking an excessive amount of green tea?
    I appreciate your reply.

  10. JP Says:

    Terry,

    I doubt that it would remove fatty deposits under the eyes. However, it may protect the kidneys. Puffy eyes may be the result of kidney stress in some instances.

    Be well!

    JP

  11. ishita Says:

    Tanks for helping me with my project and I also came to learn a new thing.

  12. ishita Says:

    I will include you in my project acknowledgment page

  13. JP Says:

    Thank you, Ishita. I wish you all the best on your project. 🙂

    Be well!

    JP

  14. RQ Says:

    Hmmm, I’m 32 years old and a heavy green tea drinker (at least 4 cups a day), I wash my teeth after every meal, and still, in the last dental appointment the dentist took a panoramic x-ray and found that I have chronic periodontitis and required to extract two second molars. Probably, and being positive, I had the disease for a long time after I used braces (the theory so far, that was 17 years ago, and I started being a tea drinker about 10 years ago), and green tea kept it at range, but still, I didn’t reduced or cured the disease.

  15. JP Says:

    Updated 11/10/15:

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpe.12478/abstract

    J Clin Periodontol. 2015 Nov 9.

    Java project on periodontal diseases: effect of vitamin C/calcium threonate/citrus flavonoids supplementation on periodontal pathogens, CRP and HbA1c.

    OBJECTIVE: To assess in a periodontally diseased rural population deprived from regular dental care and having poor dietary conditions, the effect of vitamin C/calcium threonate/citrus flavonoids (VitC/Ca/Fl) supplementation on subgingival microbiota and plasma levels of vitamin C, HbA1c and hsCRP.

    MATERIAL & METHODS: The study population consisted of 98 subjects who previously participated in a prospective study on the natural history of periodontitis. Participants were instructed to consume one tablet/day containing 200mg Ester C® calcium ascorbate, 25mg calcium threonate and 100mg citrus flavonoids for 90 days. Following parameters were evaluated: prevalence/amount of seven traditional periodontal pathogens, cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus (EBV); and plasma levels of vitamin C, HbA1c and hsCRP.

    RESULTS: After VitC/Ca/Fl supplementation, 100% of subjects showed normal plasma vitamin C values compared to 55% before. At baseline, 48% of subjects harbored A. actinomycetemcomitans, >97% the other periodontal pathogens and 73% EBV. Supplementation with VitC/Ca/F reduced the subgingival load of all studied bacteria (p-values: 0.014-0.0001) and EBV (p<0.0001) substantially in all initially positive subjects. Plasma levels of HbA1c and hsCRP dropped in all subjects (p<0.0001).

    CONCLUSION: This uncontrolled study suggested that supplemental VitC/Ca/Fl may be helpful in reducing subgingival numbers of periodontal pathogens and EBV, and promoting systemic health.

    Be well!

    JP

  16. JP Says:

    Updated 05/15/16:

    http://ohpd.quintessenz.de/index.php?doc=abstract&abstractID=36100/

    Oral Health Prev Dent. 2016 May 12.

    Green Tea Intake as an Adjunct to Mechanical Periodontal Therapy for the Management of Mild to Moderate Chronic Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

    PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the beneficial effects of green tea intake on the total antioxidant capacity of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma, and to examine its role as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy for the management of chronic periodontitis.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: 120 subjects with mild to moderate chronic periodontitis were divided equally into two groups. After scaling and root planing in all subjects, green tea supplements were given to the case group and a placebo to the control group. The clinical parameters gingival index, plaque index, clinical probing depth, clinical attachment loss, percentage of sites with bleeding on probing, along with total antioxidant capacity of GCF and plasma were recorded at baseline, one and three months.

    RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in all clinical parameters along with an 8-fold greater antioxidant capacity in GCF in the case group than in the control group.
    CONCLUSION:

    Green tea intake as a component of nonsurgical periodontal therapy is promising for superior and rapid resolution of the disease process. Green tea increases the total antioxidant capacity of GCF and plasma along with potent anti-inflammatory, astringent and anti-plaque effects.

    Be well!

    JP

  17. JP Says:

    Updated 06/13/16:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885673/

    J Dent (Shiraz). 2016 Jun;17(2):149-54.

    The Efficacy of Green Tea Chewing Gum on Gingival Inflammation.

    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: According to previous studies, the components of green tea extracts can inhibit the growth of a wide range of gram-pos-itive and -negative bacterial species and might be useful in controlling oral infections.

    PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of green tea chewing gum on the rate of plaque and gingival inflammation in subjects with gingivitis.

    MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this double-blind randomize controlled clinical trial, 45 patients with generalized marginal gingivitis were selected and divided into two groups of green tea (23) and placebo (22) chewing gum. The patients chewed two gums for 15 minutes daily for three weeks. Sulcus bleeding index (SBI) and approximal plaque index (API) were studied at the baseline, 7 and 21 days later. Saliva sampling was conducted before and after 21 days for evaluation of IL-1β. The results were analyzed and compared by using repeated measures ANOVA, paired t test, and independent two-sample t test (α=0.05).

    RESULT: The results showed that chewing gum significantly affected the SBI and API (p< 0.001). Paired t test showed that the two groups were significantly different regarding the mean changes of SBI and API at different periods of 1-7, 1-21, and 7-21 (p< 0.001). Concerning IL-1β, the repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the effect of chewing gum was significant (p<0.001). Moreover, paired t-test represented no significant difference between the mean changes of IL-1β within 1-21 day (p= 0.086). CONCLUSION: The green tea chewing gum improved the SBI and API and effectively reduced the level of IL-1β. Be well! JP

  18. JP Says:

    Updated 11/05/16:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27807887

    Phytother Res. 2016 Nov 3.

    The Impact of Resveratrol Supplementation on Blood Glucose, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Triglyceride, and Periodontal Markers in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Chronic Periodontitis.

    The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of resveratrol supplementation along with non-surgical periodontal treatment on blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, triglyceride (TG), and periodontal markers in patients with type 2 diabetes with periodontal disease. In this double-blind clinical trial study, 43 patients with diabetes with chronic periodontitis were participated. Subjects were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. The intervention and control groups received either 480 mg/day of resveratrol or placebo capsules (two pills) for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), TGs, and pocket depth were measured in all subjects’ pre-intervention and post-intervention. The mean serum levels of fasting insulin and insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with control group (10.42 ± 0.28 and 10.92 ± 0.9; 3.66 ± 0.97 and 4.49 ± 1.56, respectively). There was a significant difference in the mean pocket depth between intervention and control groups (2.35 ± 0.6 and 3.38 ± 0.5, respectively) following intervention. No significant differences were observed in the mean levels of fasting blood glucose and TGs between two groups’ post-intervention. It is recommended that resveratrol supplementation may be beneficial as adjuvant therapy along with non-surgical periodontal treatment in insulin resistance and improving periodontal status among patients with diabetes with periodontal disease.

    Be well!

    JP

  19. michaela Says:

    I have chronic periodontal disease sadly dentist ignored my issues , anyway i have been reading a story by a woman who oil pulled each mornung with coconut oil and drank green tea and her gum inflammation reduced drastically

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