Can Green Tea Help My Smile?

Green tea is a trendy beverage made from leaves that have not oxidized like those that make darker drinks like black tea. This ends up as a lighter appearing and tasting drink that can give wellness benefits to the consumer. Research suggests that green tea can enhance mental alertness, blood pressure, and digestion.

Green tea may also offer benefits for your oral health thanks to its antioxidants. On the other hand, consuming green tea in excess could harm your smile as well. Read on to learn how green tea might enhance your oral health but could also put your smile in danger if you are not careful.

Improve Gum Health with Antioxidants

Antioxidants refer to naturally occurring compounds that can fight toxins in the body that can damage cells. Consuming foods and drinks that contain antioxidants can reduce your chances of developing certain health problems, including oral infections like gum disease.

Specifically, antioxidants can lower the more harmful effects of your body’s inflammatory response. Inflammation from underlying health issues like heart disease can result in irritation and swelling that will impact other parts of your body. Gum disease can have a similar effect, so antioxidants will stem these symptoms too.

This infection of the gum tissue presents with inflamed gums in its early stages. But as it spreads, the bacteria will eat away at the tooth root and jawbone too, which may result in tooth loss and other irreversible dental damage.

Your dentist will need to intervene to get rid of gum disease, so dentists often promote preventative care when it comes to gum health. Consuming antioxidants from green tea can contribute to this oral health care.

This way, you can keep gum disease and its uncomfortable symptoms at bay. If you do notice any issues with your gums, do not hesitate to let your dentist know.

Beware of Potential Dental Dangers from Green Tea

Though green tea has clear oral health benefits, this beverage could also harm your smile. So pay attention to your teeth as you consume green tea.

For example, green tea has a lighter color than black tea, but it still contains some tannins. These substances absorb into the teeth over time and can transfer dark stains to the surface of your smile. You cannot remove this dental discoloration on your own, so look out for stains, yellowing, and other cosmetic dental damage.

Antioxidants from green tea have the added benefit of lowering your risk for tooth decay. But green tea may also contain added sugar, which could increase your chances of forming cavities, negating the positive effect. Check the ingredients of your green tea to make sure you do not consume excess amounts of sugar.

A dentist can treat a cavity fairly easily, but you should protect the natural dental structure as much as you can. For more advice about preserving the look and feel of your smile, visit your dentist’s office.