REDUCTION OF DENTAL PLAQUE DEPOSITION IN HUMANS BY OOLONG TEA EXTRACT

The inhibitory effect of oolong tea extract (OTE) containing polymeriz ed polyphenols on plaque deposition was examined in 35 human volunteer s. Thirty-five human volunteers, aged 18-29 years, who received extens ive oral prophylactic procedures were requested to refrain from all or al hygiene procedures for 4 days, and to rinse their mouth with 0.5 mg /ml OTE solution in 0.2% ethanol before and after every intake of food and before sleeping at night. No restriction regarding meals was give n during the test period, except to refrain from teas or coffee. Plaqu e deposition was evaluated after disclosing the teeth with Erythrocin at the termination of this experiment. The study was repeated 1 week a fter the first trial, but only 0.2% ethanol without OTE was used for m outhrinsing in the second trial. OTE was found to significantly inhibi t plaque deposition in volunteers, although mouthrinsing with GTE solu tion had no significant effect on the number of mutans streptococci in unstimulated whole saliva.