Another Reason Why Green Tea Is Good For You

Because I lived in Japan for a couple of years, whenever I come across something related to the country I will usually take a moment to review it. Since I learned to love green tea while I was there when I saw a study on Green Tea and Gum Disease I read it.

Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) comes mostly from Asia. It has been used for 1000s of years as a drink and therapeutic agent. In Japan, tea drinking is common among the people. Many traditional uses of Green tea include rituals like the tea ceremony, but is also used as a universal body tonic to revive one's mind and to provide energy for life.

Just recently a study on Gum Disease showed that drinking green tea can help at the Dentists office also. Gum disease, infects the tissues that support your teeth. Periodontal Disease attacks just below the gum line in a v-shaped notch called the sulcus, causing the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break down.

It is estimated that Americans make 500 million visits to dentists every year to help prevent the two major forms of Periodontal Disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is relatively mild and reversible but can lead to periodontitis, which is more destructive to the gums.

If you have diabetes it is even more important to look for signs of periodontitis like red, swollen or tender gums, gums that have pulled away from the teeth, bad breath that doesn't go away, pus between your teeth and gums, loose teeth, a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite, and a change in the fit of partial dentures.

Regular dental visits, brushing and flossing help maintain gum health. Now a new study found that green tea may also help with gum health. Researchers analyzed green tea intake and gum health in 940 Japanese men aged 49 to 59 years.

The researchers found green tea intake to be “inversely correlated” with all three parameters of gum health. They believe that it is the polyphenols in green tea that help preserve gum health, with the average cup of green tea containing 50-150 mg of polyphenols.

The bottom line for the study was, “There was a modest inverse association between the intake of green tea and periodontal disease.” If you want to read more about Green Tea here is a link: www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm

If you would like to pick up some good in-expensive Organic Green Tea online here is another link

Watch Your Mouth … It Might Get You In Trouble

We hear a lot about proper nutrition, weight loss and exercise in taking care of ourselves if we have diabetes. But did you know your mouth can get you in trouble just as easy, if you don’t also take care of your oral hygiene?

It seems that gum disease and diabetes do not play well together. A study in the Journal of Periodontology found that poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients are more likely to develop periodontal disease than well-controlled diabetics are.

If your sugars are high they permit germs to grow in your mouth, and this can lead to gum disease. If your gums get inflamed that can lead to insulin resistance, which in turn makes your blood sugar levels go high. The bottom line is that this trend needs to be stopped if you want to stay healthy.

So what we need to keep an eye on is any bleeding when you brush or floss, your teeth may seem longer or the roots may be exposed if you have receding gums. Another sign of infection is pus between the teeth and gums, or you may have loose teeth or cavities. If you already have gum disease, treatment with antibiotics can help reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar levels.

A little care goes a long way to help prevent or reduce the risks of gum disease. If you have any symptoms get to a dentist, and have regular exams every six months or so.

Brush and floss every day to remove bacteria and plaque from the hard to reach places between teeth and below the gumline. You might also consider a vitamin C supplement with antioxidants to help the immune system fight off infections and promote health.

As always work with your physician to keep your blood sugar under control.