Let the black tea and green tea take care of your oral health

The Journal of Community Health Management 2024;11(2):54–56

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Review Article

Let the black tea and green tea take care of your oral health — A short review of

the antimicrobial activity of black tea and green tea extracts on Streptococcus

mutans

Siddharth Kumar Singh1, Anjali Gupta2*, Tushar Mathur3, Sayak Roy4

1Saraswati Dental College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

2Saraswati Medical College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

3Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saraswati Dental College, Lucknow, India

4Dafodyl Dental Clinic

A R T I C L E I N F O

Article history:

Received 28-05-2024

Accepted 03-06-2024

Available online 20-07-2024

Keywords:

Antibacterial activity

Green tea

Streptococcus mutans

Black tea

A B S T R A C T

Dental caries is a major global concern and source of great trouble worldwide. It is one of the most common

chronic oral diseases in the world that affects both adults and children. The prevalence of DMFT index as a

diagnostic criterion in the estimation of dental caries in the age group of 3–18 years was found to be 57%,

whereas in patients aged above 18 years, it was much higher that is 77%.

Many studies have been carried out all over the world to find the cause behind it, and the main cause,

which was well accepted by the people, was the action of pathogenic bacterial microflora such as

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) in the oral cavity on the tooth surfaces. These bacteria strongly adhere

to the tooth surface and produce lactic acid after fermentation of sucrose and various carbohydrates, which

is responsible for the cavitation in the teeth. Many experiments and efforts have been made to remove

Streptococcus from the oral cavity, like antibiotics, oral drugs, and more, which are beneficial but have side

effects after long-term use, such as vomiting, diarrhea, resistance, teeth staining, etc.

That’s why search ended at tea which is becoming a popular beverage and a widely consumed drink these

days that has anti-streptococcal properties with least of side effect.

India’s tea usage changed over time from being a colonial export to a regular beverage. With over 29% of

the global tea production, India is one of the world’s biggest producers and consumers. In India, tea has

long been closely linked to the medicinal herbs that have long been used for both therapeutic purposes and

general well-being.

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1. Background

Tea is obtained from dispensation of the tender leaves and

buds of the Camellia sinensis plant and is divided into two

categories: non-fermented tea (green tea) and fermented tea

(black tea). 1

1. Green tea is obtained by drying of the Camellia leaves

so as to remove moisture followed by steam treatment.

* Corresponding author.

E-mail address: drnirviot@gmail.com (A. Gupta).

2. Black tea is obtained by firstly drying of the leaves to

remove moisture and then rolled and allowed to ferment.2

In black tea, these catechins are converted to higher

molecular weight polyphenolic compounds like flavons,

which give black tea its unique flavor and color. In contrast,

green tea is distinguished by the prevalence of non-oxidized

phenolic compounds called catechins, which are responsible

for the antioxidant capacity.3

https://doi.org/10.18231/j.jchm.2024.012

2394-272X/© 2024 Author(s), Published by Innovative Publication. 54

Singh et al. / The Journal of Community Health Management 2024;11(2):54–56 55

2. Introduction

S. mutans is a gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacteria

that is part of the normal flora of oral bacteria. It is one of

the most important cariogenic bacteria because it ferments

various sugars and is tolerant of acidic environments. The

bacterium’s growth and metabolism promote changes in the

oral environment, which in turn allows other bacteria to

also colonize the teeth and lead to the formation of dental

biofilm. Reducing the intake of sugars, brushing, flossing,

and using antimicrobial mouth rinsing solutions can help to

control the growth of cariogenic bacteria. 4

Nowadays, the market is starting to carry a growing

number of sugar-filled soft drinks. Children are among the

clients, as are adults. This has led to serious concerns about

the effects on their health. There was a clear correlation

between the sugar content of these beverages and dental

health. They accomplish this by changing the pH of dental

plaque and saliva, which compromises the integrity of teeth.

Plaque bacteria convert these sugars into acids, which in

turn decrease salivary pH and demineralize teeth. Thus, it

is evident that soft drinks and dental caries are directly

related.5

Medicine has established the use of plants for thousands

of years. The curiosity about naturally derived biological

compounds that may have the potential to be used as

therapeutics in medicine and dentistry is rising due to their

minimal side effects.6

Hence, the introduction of green tea and black tea took

place, which not only presented a new taste or flavour but

also provided several therapeutic uses.6,7

3. Discussion

When we go back to the 18th century, it was Miller who

came up with a proposal of acidic theory, which stated that

dental plaque, when exposed to an increase in sucrose levels,

leads to acid production, causing a drop in pH and leading to

the initiation of dental caries. The pathogenic factor of low

salivary pH facilitated the growth of acidogenic bacteria,

causing a dynamic imbalance between demineralization

and remineralization on the tooth’s hard surface, ultimately

resulting in cavitation.

The results of this investigation indicated a more

encouraging rise in salivary pH.8 After 30 minutes of

consuming a sugary soft drink, the average pH was 5.75.

After being rinsed with black and green tea, the salivary

pH rose to 6.85 and 7.11, respectively. Further research by

Srinidhi et al. in 2014 revealed that salivary pH increased

following rinses with black and green tea.9

1. The activity of tea’s constituents against the

microorganisms that cause oral illnesses has been

the subject of numerous prior published studies and

discussions.

2. Studies have demonstrated that tea extracts are

efficient against cariogenic germs and inhibit the

attachment of bacteria to dental surfaces.10

3. It was found that using green tea as mouthwash

significantly reduced the amount of cariogenic

bacteria, such as S. mutans and Lactobacillus.11

4. Catechins were believed to have antibacterial

and antiplaque effects. By interacting with the

microorganism’s barrier function and causing its

depletion, they helped to prevent dental cavities.12,13

5. The bioactive constituents of green tea possess the

ability to impact the caries development process via

many ways: they may inhibit the proliferation of the

streptococcal agent or act as inhibitors of glucosyl

transferase and amylase.14

6. The biological properties of tea also include effects

on the Central/CNS System. Black tea exclusively

contains antioxidants and other substances such as

methylxanthines, caffeine (antioxidant), and phenolic

compounds, specifically catechins, that might help

protect the heart and blood vessels.15,16

7. It is also used to treat low blood pressure,

headaches, and heart attacks. It also prevents heart

disease, including atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the

arteries."17

Despite limited oxidation during processing, green

tea manages to retain significant chemicals known

as polyphenols, which may be able to reduce joint

degeneration, protect cartilage between bones, and prevent

inflammation and swelling. They seem to be capable of

combating infections caused by the human papillomavirus

(HPV).18

4. Conclusion

Hence, we now come to the inference that green and black

tea has anti-streptococcal properties as well as numerous

other therapeutic benefits that could make them effective

antimicrobial agents for a range of oral cavity infections.

The flavonoids and antioxidants in tea are responsible for its

positive effects on overall health. Additionally, it is shown

that drinking both black and green tea increased salivary pH,

which contributed to the substantial reduction of cariogenic

bacteria in the oral cavity. Hence, decreasing sugarsweetened

beverage consumption and promoting naturally

derived tea products could be a leap forward to good oral

hygiene in the future.

5. Source of Funding

None

6. Conflict of Interest

None

56 Singh et al. / The Journal of Community Health Management 2024;11(2):54–56

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Author biography

Siddharth Kumar Singh, Professor

Anjali Gupta, Professor and Head

Tushar Mathur, Lecturer

Sayak Roy, Consultant

Cite this article: Singh SK, Gupta A, Mathur T, Roy S. Let the black

tea and green tea take care of your oral health—A short review of the

antimicrobial activity of black tea and green tea extracts on

Streptococcus mutans. J Community Health Manag 2024;11(2):54-56.