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Black tea a potent remedy against bad breath

Published By Danny Kingsley - Wednesday, 21 May 2003 - ABC Science Online

An average cup of black tea has the suprising ability to stop the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath and suppress odours, according to new research.

Scientists at the University of Illinois in Chicago have said that compounds in tea, known as polyphenols, can halt the bacterial growth that causes halitosis.

Scientists also said that the polyphenols prevent both the growth of microbes responsible for bad breath as well the bacteria's production of malodorous, or smelly, gases.

Bad breath is caused by sulphur-producing bacteria that normally live within the surface of the tongue and in the throat. At times, these bacteria break down proteins at a very high rates, and odorous volatile sulphur compounds are released from the back of the tongue and throat.

The most common is the 'rotten egg' smell of hydrogen sulphide. One of the other sulphur-containing gases is methanethiol, which smells like rotting cabbage.

In the laboratory study, tea polyphenols were incubated with three species of bacteria associated with bad breath for 48 hours. They found that the polyphenols inhibited growth of the oral bacteria at high concentrations - between 16 and 250 micrograms per millilitre.

At even lower concentrations – from 2.5 to 25 micrograms per millilitre – the polyphenols hindered the enzyme that catalyses the formation of hydrogen sulphide, cutting its production by 30%.

The present study complements earlier research at the laboratory showing that black tea suppresses the growth of bacteria in dental plaque, and that rinsing the mouth with black tea reduces plaque formation and the production of acids that cause tooth decay.

The major causes of halitosis are: dry mouth; foods high in protein, sugar or acid; smoking; dental factors or nasal and sinus infections.

The polyphenols found in tea include chemicals called catechins and theaflavins. Catechins are found in both green and black teas, while theaflavins are found predominantly in black tea. Black tea, an infusion of dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, is the most popular beverage worldwide, second only to water.

Besides inhibiting the growth of pathogens in the mouth, black tea and its polyphenols may benefit human oral health by suppressing the bad-smelling compounds that these pathogens produce.

© 2008 ABC Science Online