With origins dating back to around 5000 years, green tea has always been a top beverage in Asian culture, but now it’s become one of the most popular and healthiest beverages on the planet!

Green tea is packed with antioxidants and nutrients that have a powerful healing effect on the body. From improved brain function to weight loss, to reducing the risk of diabetes and even cancer, there’s almost nothing that these bitter leaves can’t benefit!

But what we’re most interested in, is the effect green tea has on our oral health. So we decided to scope out a Japanese study conducted in 2009, which shows how regular consumption of green tea can help promote healthy teeth and gums! 

The Japanese Study

Japanese doctor Yoshihiro Shimazaki of Kyushu University in Fukuoka and his team of researchers, analyzed the periodontal health of 940 male subjects’ between the ages of 49 to 59 to determine the effect regular consumption of this herbal beverage had on the state of the subjects teeth and gums as compared to the subjects who consumed less.

They 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. The findings showed that for each cup of green tea consumed per day, there was a decrease in all three indicators, pointing to a lower incidence of periodontal disease in the subjects who regularly drank green tea.

“It has been long speculated that green tea possesses a host of health benefits and since many of us enjoy green tea on a regular basis, my colleagues and I were eager to investigate the impact of green tea consumption on periodontal health, especially considering the escalating emphasis on the connection between periodontal health and overall health.”

Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki

The results of the green tea study are published in the Journal of Periodontology. 

Why is green tea so great for the gums?

Researchers believe that green tea’s ability to reduce symptoms of periodontal disease may be due to the presence of the disease-fighting flavonoid – catechin.

Catechin is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, that has an amazing ability to reduce inflammation in the body and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth. Periodontal disease, as we know, is a chronic inflammatory disease causing gums to become swollen and inflamed, so the catechin that green tea contains can be extremely effective in the strengthening of gum tissues and soothing inflammation.

Catechin also helps to not only repair damaged cells but reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, which makes it an effective remedy for gum infections and receding gums.

Swap your coffee for green tea!

There is growing research to suggest that the more green tea you drink the lower the risk of tooth loss later in life, so if you still enjoy your caffeine hit in the morning, try swapping your cups of coffee for cups of green tea!

As well as benefiting your teeth and gums, green tea also improves brain function, aids weight loss and can even lower your risk of cancer.

What’s good for your gums, is good for you!