Green Tea May Reduce Dental Caries and Erosion: A Systematic Review

Background: In recent years, the use of mouthwashes containing green tea (GT) extract has been reportedto prevent tooth decay. In laboratory studies, GT has been shown to be effective in controlling dental plaqueand erosion. The aim of this review study was to evaluate the effectiveness of GT extract in controllingtooth decay and erosion in randomized clinical trials.Methods: By searching related keywords in the Scopus, PubMed, and WOS (Web of Science) databases, aswell as searching for related studies in the Google Scholar database randomized clinical trial ( RCT) studiespublished in English by the end of ۲۰۱۹ were extracted. Then, eligible studies were carefully reviewed andthe required data were extracted.Results: A total of ۱۲ eligible studies were included in the study. The inclusion criteria of the study werehuman RCT studies, English language, and GT intervention. The exclusion criteria of the study were lack ofnegative (placebo) or positive control group, studies examining the effect of GT derivatives, oral diseasessuch as periodontal disease, people undergoing orthodontic treatment, use of antibiotics at least twoweeks before the study, incomplete methodology, defects in the results, and lack of access to the full textof articles. The number of subjects was ۲۴۶ in the GT group, ۱۵۷ in the placebo group, and ۱۳۲ in thepositive control group (sodium fluoride, chlorhexidine, neem extract, and probiotic). Eleven studies usedGT mouthwash and one study used toothpaste containing GT extract. In studies with placebo, GT showeda significantly better effect on dental plaque, oral pH, modulation of dental erosion, and reduction of thenumber salivary S. mutans and lactobacilli colonies. Additionally, GT had a similar and comparable effectto positive control groups in modulating the above-mentioned indices.Conclusion: GT extract can show anti-cariogenic and anti-erosive effects. Larger randomized clinical trialsare needed to support our findings.