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A recent study found that green tea can help manage gum disease. The researchers suggest a toothpaste made with green tea could be a beneficial addition to nonsurgical gum disease therapy.
In the study, the authors found that a toothpaste containing green tea extract significantly reduced gum inflammation in patients who had undergone therapy for gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. The green tea paste also improved the antioxidant levels in the patients' gums.
"Green tea is known to possess anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities," the study authors explained. "Antioxidants have a protective effect on periodontal tissues."
Green tea and gum disease
The researchers looked at 30 patients who had received standard, nonsurgical treatment for gum disease, and they divided the patients into two groups of 15 people. The first group was instructed to use a toothpaste that contained green tea extract, while the other was given a toothpaste that only contained fluoride and triclosan, another antibacterial agent.
When the patients returned for follow-up visits four weeks later, the researchers found the group who used the green tea extract had significantly less gum bleeding than the other group, reducing their gum bleeding percentage from 84% to 25%. The group that didn't use the green tea extract reduced their gum bleeding from 78% to 31%.
The authors noted that the green tea toothpaste was more successful in improving gum health than traditional toothpastes because of the "antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of green tea."
While green tea may be able to aid in gum disease treatment, the study authors don't recommend patients skip their regular dental visits. Professional help is still needed to treat the disease overall, they noted.
Other health benefits of green tea
This wasn't the first study to link green tea to various oral health benefits. Multiple studies have touted its antitumor properties in addition to other protective properties, including being an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
One study found that green tea extract may help prevent patients with noncancerous oral lesions from developing oral cancer, and another study found that men who regularly drank green tea had better gum health than those who did not. Researchers have also found that green tea may be able to prevent cavities.
Green tea doesn't just benefit the mouth, though. Other studies have shown that it can also boost overall health and wellness. One study found older women who regularly drank green tea may have a slightly lower risk of certain cancers, including those of the digestive system. Green tea has also been shown to help prevent damage caused by sunlight, including premature aging and skin cancers.
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