Green Tea Against Gum Disease

Filed in archive Dental Health , Functional Foods , Studies on March 11, 2009

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 278161

As suggested by a new study from Japan, consumption of green tea may offer protection against gum disease. Gum disease affects about 30 percent of the population.

The antioxidant catechins - found in green tea - are the ones responsible for the protective effects.

Researchers from Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan suggest that the antioxidant catechins may be responsible for the protective effects. Previous research has indicated that the antioxidant has anti-inflammatory effects, and gum disease has been linked to an inflammatory response to periodontal bacteria in the mouth.

Green tea indeed is a never-ending source of health benefits. The above finding adds to the ever-growing body of science supporting the anti-cancer benefits of green tea and its polyphenols.