Green Tea Consumption and Adjunctive Green Tea Products for Periodontal Disease Prevention and Management: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Intoduction: Periodontal disease is common among older adults and may contribute to tooth loss, oral discomfort, and compromised quality of life. This PubMed-based narrative review summarises evidence on green tea (Camellia sinensis) consumption and adjunctive green tea products for the prevention or management of periodontal disease, with emphasis on relevance to Indonesian older adults. Method: PubMed was searched up to 28 June 2026 using combinations of green tea, Camellia sinensis, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG, matcha, periodontitis, periodontal disease, gingivitis, plaque, and scaling and root planing. PubMed-indexed clinical trials and systematic reviews relevant to periodontal outcomes were prioritised. Indonesian epidemiological and quality-of-life studies were included only when indexed in PubMed. Result and Discussion: No PubMed-indexed clinical trial was found that specifically evaluated green tea for periodontal disease in Indonesian older adults. Evidence from adult periodontal populations suggests that green tea catechins or EGCG, delivered as gels, strips, dentifrices, mouthwashes, ultrasonic scaler irrigants, or oral intake, may reduce gingival inflammation, bleeding, microbial burden, oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers, and, in some studies, probing depth or clinical attachment loss. Conclusion: Green tea may be a low-cost adjunct to plaque control and professional periodontal therapy, but it should not replace scaling and root planing, oral hygiene instruction, maintenance care, or management of systemic risk factors. Current evidence is heterogeneous and generally limited; therefore, recommendations for Indonesian older adults should be conservative and framed as supportive rather than curative.