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That Morning Cuppa Could Help Protect Your Teeth

Tea is perhaps the most traditional of British drinks, and in spite of the growing popularity of coffee, many of us still begin the day with a cuppa. Now a recent study has found that drinking black tea can help to reduce tooth decay and gum disease, as ingredients in the tea fight two of the bacteria, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus mutans, associated with these diseases. Apparently you do need to drink at least three cups of tea each day in order to obtain maximum benefits, as this will help to reduce the levels of bacteria in the mouth, even if you are in the habit of sugaring your tea. The benefits aren’t just limited to black tea, as green tea is also beneficial and even better it contains ingredients that can help to neutralise the compounds responsible for causing bad breath.

The reason these teas are so good is that they can be useful in reducing the inflammation caused by bacteria, and can help to prevent the bacteria from sticking to your teeth and gums. This is because tea contains certain antioxidants that fight inflammation, which are flavonoids and catechins, and these also have an anti-microbial effect. If you are watching your weight, then choosing green tea could help your diet, as it is thought it could help to speed up the metabolism so you burn fat. However this is something that has yet to be proven and it does require more research.

This is good news for tea drinkers, but drinking more tea can only be beneficial when combined with good oral hygiene, so if you haven’t visited the dentist for a while then why not book a check-up with Dr David Brown or another dentist in Leeds City Dentalcare? We can make sure you do not have any signs of dental diseases, and if we do find anything wrong then treatment will be far easier and less invasive than if the disease progresses. This can save you money, time and potentially your teeth.

We also recommend our patients have regular hygiene appointments, and it is a great idea to book an appointment for before or after your check-up. If you are a regular tea drinker then you might have noticed the tannins stain your teeth. Our hygienist can polish your teeth, helping to lift some of these surface stains. If this doesn’t give the results you’d like, then why not ask us about tooth whitening in Leeds?

Black Tea Does Stain, but We Can Whiten Your Teeth
This dental treatment is most effective when safely carried out under the supervision of a dental professional. Leeds City Dentalcare uses a home whitening system that will get results within just a few days, although if you want a particularly white smile you may need to use it for a couple of weeks. You’ll be provided with comfortable whitening trays that have been specifically made for your use. These fit exactly over your teeth, protecting your gums from the whitening gel. You can wear the trays overnight, or for just a few hours if you’d prefer, and the results of whitening are easily controlled by you. We’ll make sure you know exactly how to use the trays, and will give you full instructions on how often you can whiten. You may want to watch your diet while you are whitening, and might need to switch to drinking less staining green or white tea during this time.