Black Tea May Keep the Dentist Away.

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Black tea can help fight cavities and prevent gum disease. The beverage interferes with harmful bacteria in the mouth that form dental plaque, explains Christine Wu, professor of periodontics, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. She and her colleagues found in a study that chemical components in black tea, called polyphenols, suppressed the growth of cavity-causing bacteria in plaque and reduced acid production levels.

The polyphenols also inhibited an enzyme produced by the bacteria, glucosyltansferase, thus preventing the formation of the matrix material by which dental plaque adheres to tooth surfaces. In addition, the size and stickiness of dental plaque were reduced because certain bacteria, when exposed to black tea, lost their ability to form aggregates with other bacteria.

Dental plaque consists of more than 300 species of bacteria embedded in a chemical and biological matrix that adheres to the tooth surface. The bacteria in plaque ferment dietary sugars to produce acid, leading to the formation of cavities on tooth...