Green Tea Catechins and Polyphenols Improve Health of
the Gums
Participants: 47 people (23 men, 24 women)
with some degree of gum inflammation
Study description: The researchers wanted
to find out if green tea extract could have a positive effect on gum
inflammation.
Where: Germany
Type of study: Double-blind, randomized,
placebo-controlled
Study methods: At the beginning of the 4-week study,
all volunteers
had their teeth cleaned and were divided randomly into two
groups. One group was given sugar-free "chew candies" that contained green tea
extract; the other group was given a a sugar-free
chew candy that did not contain green tea extract (the placebo). Both groups were asked to continue with their regular tooth
brushing and other teeth-cleaning procedures, and to chew 8 of the candies
throughout the
day.
What happened: At the end of weeks 1 and 4, two
measures of gum inflammation were calculated for
each volunteer: the approximal plaque index (API) and the sulcus bleeding index
(SBI).
The differences between the two groups were
clear. In the green tea extract group, the API fell from 33.2% at the end of week 1
to 29.6% at the end of week 4, while the SBI dropped from 5.9% to 3.6%. But in the placebo group, the
API and SBI both increased.
Researchers' conclusion: "...oral application of
green tea catechins and polyphenols might have a positive influence on the
inflammatory reaction of periodontal structures."
Citation: Krahwinkel T, Willerhausen B. The
effect of sugar-free green tea chew candies on the degree of inflammation of the
gingiva. Eur J Med Res 2000;5(11):463-7. (Click here to read PubMed study
abstract.)
Author Contact: Policlinic for Restorative
Dentistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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