Green Tea Catechins Improve Periodontal Health
Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis
and Prevotella species are two kinds of bacteria implicated in periodontal
(gum) disease.
Green tea catechins have been shown to kill these bacteria in test-tube studies.
But researchers wanted to
see if applying green tea catechins directly to the teeth and gums would reduce the number of bacteria
and help shrink
the "pockets" between the teeth and gums that are characteristic of periodontal disease.
Where: Japan
Study methods: At the beginning of the
study, volunteers had their teeth
mechanically cleaned. Then some had special strips placed into
pre-existing pockets between their teeth and gums once a
week for 8 weeks. These strips were designed to
release green tea catechins slowly.
What happened: After 8 weeks of treatment, the
pocket depth and the proportion of selected bacteria (gram-negative anaerobic rods)
were "markedly decreased" among those who had been treated with the catechin
strips. Among those who only received
the mechanical cleaning, there was no improvement.
Researchers' conclusion: "...the combined use of
mechanical treatment and the application of green tea catechin using a slow
release local delivery system was effective in improving periodontal status."
Citation: Hirasawa M, Takada K, Makimura M, et
al. Improvement of periodontal status by green tea catechin using a local
delivery system: a clinical pilot study. J Periodontal Res
2002;37(6):433-8. (Click here to read PubMed study
abstract.)
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Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. presents
GreenTeaLibrary.com, the most comprehensive collection of scientific
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