13 Green Tea

Over the past decade, teas and their molecular components have received increasing attention from researchers in human health. After water, tea is the most widely consumed and popular beverage in the world. It has a cooling effect, slightly bitter and astringent flavor which many is enjoyed by people and its medicinal properties have been widely explored. In addition, its content of certain minerals and vitamins increases the antioxidant potential of this type of tea. There is an increasing interest in the health benefits of green tea in the field of oral health; still there is a need for more clinical and biological studies to support guidelines for green tea intake as part of prevention and treatment of specific oral pathologies. 1 2 3 4 Vikas Singh , Kuldeep , Ashima Bajaj, Monika Kalra 1,3 2 4 Senior Lecturer, Reader, Post Graduate Student Department of Public Health Dentistry, Teerthanker Mahaveer Dental College & Research 2 Centre, Teerthanker Mahaveer University. Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Teerthanker Mahaveer Dental College & Research Centre, Teerthanker Mahaveer University Department of Periodontology, Teerthanker Mahaveer Dental College & Research Centre, TeerthankerMahaveer University INTRODUCTION : The most popular beverages consumed worldwide is tea, from the Camellia sinensis plant. It is consumed in different forms like black , green or Oolong tea. Among all of these, consumption of green tea has the most significant effects on human health .1The Chinese have been consuming green tea for four or five thousand years. It is being consumed socially, for medicinal purpose and habitually by people since 3000 BC. It became popular in Britain in the 17th century.2 Tea is the most popular beverage in the world after water. In the last couple of years there is a growing interest in green tea in the Western world due to scientific findings that show the health potentials of the beverage.3 In recent years, the health benefits of consuming green tea, including the prevention of cancer, the anti?inflammatory, cardiovascular diseases, antiarthritic, antibacterial, antiangiogenic , antiviral, antioxidative, neuroprotective and cholesterol ? lowering effects of green tea and isolated green tea constituents are under investigation.4 GREEN TEA COMPOSITION: Chemical composition: Proteins (1520% dry weight) whose enzymes constitute an important fraction; Aminoacids (1-4% dry weight) such as teanine or 5Nethylglutamine, tryptophan, glutamic acid, glycine, serine, aspartic acid, valine, leucine, threonine, tyrosine, lysine; Carbohydrates (5-7% dry weight) such as cellulose, glucose, fructose, sucrose Lipids as linolenic and linoleic acids; Sterols as stigmasterol; Vitamins (B, C, E); Xanthic bases as caffeine and theophylline ; pigments as chlorophyll and carotenoids; Volatile compounds as aldehydes, esters, lactones, hydrocarbons etc.; Minerals and trace elements (5% dry weight) such as Ca, Mg, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Na, P, K, Co, Sr, Ni, F and Al.5 The beneficial effects generally associated with green tea have been attributed to its polyphenol content, particularly to catechins. Catechins are a group of very active flavonoids that include (+)catechin, (+) gallocatechin, (?)epicatechin (EC) and (?)epigallocatechin (EGC), and the galloyl catechins such as (?) epicatechin gallate (ECg), (?)epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), (?)catechin gallate (Cg) and (?)gallocatechin gallate(GCg). EGCg is in abundence, comprising about 50% of the catechin pool; EGC accounts for around 20%, ECg 13% and EC 6%. Catechins are water-soluble compounds leading to the bitterness and astringency of green tea.[6] GREEN TEA : ENHANCING ORAL HEALTH