Experts have recommended drinking three cups of green tea daily to help remove tartar from your teeth. While it’s not a replacement for brushing or professional dental cleaning, regular consumption can strengthen gums and reduce tartar build-up.
Green tea, rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds, has been hailed as a friend to oral health due to its ability to combat tartar and fortify gums. Tartar forms when bacterial plaque – a film made up of bacteria, saliva and food particles – hardens upon contact with mouth minerals, creating a white or yellowish layer at the tooth base.
This deposit, often found in areas hard to reach with a toothbrush, is particularly noticeable on lower teeth and upper molars. Unlike plaque, tartar can’t be removed with just a toothbrush and requires a dentist’s intervention.
However, consuming green tea can supplement oral hygiene and prevent tartar formation, according to El Universal. But why exactly should we drink three cups a day?
Experts recommend guzzling down two to three cups of green tea daily to fully benefit from its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This brew, packed with antioxidants like vitamins C and E, phenolics, catechins, and flavonoids, not only aids in preventing plaque build-up but also directly targets oral bacteria, making their removal easier, reports Surrey Live.
These characteristics enable green tea to act as a support in reducing the risk of tartar formation by preventing bacterial plaque from hardening so easily. How does green tea bolster gums?
Regularly sipping on green tea not only assists in reducing tartar, but it also fortifies gums, which is crucial for dental health, according to the National Library of Medicine.
The catechins and flavonoids in green tea have anti-inflammatory effects that are beneficial for gum tissue, helping to minimise the risk of bleeding and promoting gum healing post-brushing. These compounds also provide antiviral protection, contributing to a germ-free mouth and promoting healthier gums.
Why should green tea be considered an alternative for oral hygiene?
While it’s crucial to seek professional help for tartar removal, green tea is touted as a beneficial addition to improve oral health. Thanks to its caffeine and antioxidant content, this brew creates an unfavourable environment for bacteria in the mouth.
Therefore, daily and moderate consumption of this beverage can reduce bacterial build-up and keep gums robust, reducing the risk of bleeding and inflammation. However, is green tea enough to eliminate tartar? It’s not a replacement for a dentist visit or basic hygiene practices like brushing and flossing.
While its antibacterial and antioxidant properties aid in controlling plaque and preventing it from hardening into tartar, professional cleaning is vital to remove existing tartar. Moreover, maintaining daily oral hygiene and supplementing with green tea can make a significant difference to long-term oral health.
In addition to the above, World of Dentistry has highlighted other benefits of green tea. It suggested that it could help control and prevent tooth decay and also reduce the production of methyl mercaptan, one of the primary causes of halitosis, commonly known as bad breath.
As it’s a potent antioxidant, it aids in restoring the oxidant-antioxidant balance in ex-smokers. It’s also been associated with lowering the risk of mouth cancer, as its polyphenols function as strong antioxidants, reducing the production of free radicals that damage DNA.