Does Green Tea Inhibit Oral Bacteria

Research question:

Does green tea inhibit oral bacteria?

Aim:

To determine whether green tea inhibits oral bacteria

Hypothesis:

The strongest green tea solution will inhibit the greatest amount of growth in oral bacteria

Independent variable:

The strength of green tea solution (in %)

Dependant variable:

The area of the colony of bacteria grown on the blood agar in the petri dish (in mm)

Motivation:

I find that, on average, I consume at least three cups of tea a day. My favourite type of tea is mint green bagged tea. I’ve noticed that a large number of fitness and diet blogs on the internet boast the health benefits of green tea. A product known as “Bootea” is widely promoted by many celebrities and fitness models across various social media

Each sachet of “cocowhite” contains pure coconut oil. This seems to be the source of the latest “oil pulling” craze. Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practise used to remove toxins from the body and improve oral hygiene in the process. It entails swirling a teaspoon of natural oil, most commonly coconut oil, in ones mouth for a few minutes. After a few minutes, the oil is expected to double in size as it now contains the toxins that are to be removed. Due to previous knowledge I had on green tea and its health benefits, I wondered whether there could be some kind of relationship between improved oral hygiene and the consumption of green tea. This is why I decided to investigate the effect green tea has on the inhibition of oral bacteria. If it can be proven that green tea does, in fact, reduce oral bacteria then it can be concluded that purchasing only the “bootea” would kill two birds with one stone. Green tea could then be used as a natural mouthwash, saving you thousands on mouthwash or oral germ reducing products. Green tea may even be used as a replacement to mouthwash for those who find mouthwash harsh (example: children and pregnant women). The

It briefly discusses the antimicrobial properties of green tea and green tea related products. It is logical as it presents factual information and can be understood. The catechins present in green tea exhibit antibacterial properties, therefore it can be assumed that green tea might be able to inhibit the growth of oral bacteria. The source contains information pertaining to my specific research question. It deals with green tea and oral bacteria, making it an appropriate source regardless of the slight lack of scientific tone. The source is well referenced and cited by a few readers (23). The source is of value to my research as it provides some information on the ability of green tea to kill