Cariostatic Effect of Green Tea in Comparison with Common Anticariogenic Agents: An in Vitro Study

Abstract

Background and aims. Anticariogenic effects of different mouthrinses have been shown previously. In this in vitro study the anticariogenic effects of polyphenol extract of green tea with 0.05% fluoride, 0.2% chlorhexidine and fluoride-chlorhexidine were compared.Materials and methods. This in vitro study was performed on 50 maxillary premolars in 5 groups: 1) normal saline; 2) a 10% solution of green tea polyphenol extract; 3) 0.05% fluoride; 4) 0.2% chlorhexidine; and 5) fluoride-chlorhexidine. Each tooth was placed in a tube which contained a cariogenic solution. Every day the teeth were washed (depending on the experimental groups) with 5 mL of mouthrinse solution. The depth of the caries was measured under a polarized light microscope. Data were analyzed using SPSS 13.0 with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests.Results. The mean and standard deviation (in µm) of caries depth were 194±16.43, 175±17.94, 142±9.34, 155±13.27, and 144±8.57 in groups 1 to 5, respectively, with significant differences between the groups (P<0.001). Tukey test showed that although there was no significant difference in the depth of caries in groups 1 and 2 (P>0.001), they were significantlyless than those in groups 3 to 5 (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between decay depth of groups 3, 4 and 5 (P>0.001).Conclusion. The anticariogenic effect of fluoride-chlorhexidine was the highest among the groups. Although green tea showed higher cariostatic effects than normal saline, in comparison with other mouthrinses, it is less effective. More re-search is strongly recommended for clinical use of green tea as an anticariogenic agent.

Comparative evaluation of the effect of black and green tea on artificially demineralized permanent enamel: in vitro study

“…They revealed a noticeable decrease in the extent of the lesion with a reduction in the positive birefringence of the body of the lesion in the specimens treated with black and green tea in comparison to their control. This result contradicts with Jazaeri et al (38) who stated that washing the teeth with green tea polyphenol extract did not lead to a significant reduction in cavity depth. This contradiction could be due to a different methodology in tea preparation.…”

Polyphenols in Dental Applications

“…The anticariogenic effects of 10% tea polyphenol (10 g of green tea polyphenol extract in 100 mL of dimethyl sulfoxide), 0.05% (w:v) fluoride, 0.2% (w:v) chlorhexidine, and 1:1 solution of 0.2% (w/v) chlorhexidine and 0.05% (w/v) fluoride combined were analyzed [116]. This study showed that all the groups had an anticariogenic effect compared with saline, whilst the anticariogenic effect of fluoride-chlorhexidine combined was the highest among those groups.…”

Nutritional, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Toxicological Profile of Two Innovative Types of Vegan, Sugar-Free Chocolate

“…Rather recently, researchers have begun to investigate the antimicrobial potential of green tea extracts. It appears that catechins found in green tea present a variety of antimicrobial properties, especially against most oral bacteria [ 19 , 20 ].…”