Matcha flavored mouthwash? It's not a hard job! It has many benefits!

Compiled by: Gong Zixin

It is reported that according to the Global Oral Health Database, approximately 90% of adults suffer from periodontal disease to varying degrees.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory gum disease caused by a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, can lead to complications including tooth loss. Periodontitis has also been linked to diabetes, premature birth, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. One of the main bacterial culprits of periodontitis is Porphyromonas gingivalis, which colonizes biofilms on tooth surfaces and proliferates in deep periodontal pockets.

New study finds matcha may help prevent Porphyromonas gingivalis

In the journal Microbiology Spectrum, researchers from Japan reported that matcha inhibited the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis in laboratory experiments. Additionally, in a clinical study involving 45 patients with periodontitis, those who used matcha mouthwash had significantly lower levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis in saliva samples than at the start of the study. Therefore, matcha may have clinical applicability in the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.

Green tea has long been studied for its potential antimicrobial effects against bacteria, fungi and viruses, with a previous study in mice finding that green tea extracts could inhibit the growth of pathogens including E. coli.

Other studies have found that green tea extract can inhibit the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis and reduce its adhesion to oral epithelial cells. In addition, observational studies have also linked green tea to better health.

Matcha is made from the whole raw leaves of the tea plant and is used not only in traditional ceremonies but also to flavor beverages and sweets.

In the new study, researchers from the Matsudo Department of Dentistry at Nihon University, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, and other institutions conducted a series of in vitro experiments to test the effectiveness of a matcha solution against 16 species of oral bacteria, including three species of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Within 2 hours, almost all of the cultured P. gingivalis cells were killed by the matcha extract, and after 4 hours of exposure, all cells were dead. These findings suggest that the matcha extract has bactericidal activity against the pathogen.

Figure 1 Matcha extract inhibits the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis by triggering morphological and physiological changes in the cell envelope

Figure 2 Aggregation and adhesion of Porphyromonas gingivalis treated with Matcha extract

The researchers then recruited 45 participants diagnosed with chronic periodontitis from Matsumoto Dental University Hospital in Japan for a follow-up clinical study.

Participants were randomly divided into 3 groups: the first group used barley tea mouthwash, the second group used matcha extract mouthwash, and the third group used mouthwash containing a compound used to treat inflammation. Saliva samples were collected before and after the intervention and analyzed using PCR, and participants were instructed to rinse twice a day.

The analysis showed that levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis were significantly reduced in the group of participants using the matcha mouthwash, compared to pre-intervention levels. The other two groups of participants did not show the same significant decrease.

While the new study is not the first to explore the antimicrobial effects of tea-derived compounds against P. gingivalis, the researchers note that it does support the potential benefits of matcha as part of a treatment plan for people with periodontal disease.

The cover image and images within this article are from the copyright gallery (or copyright holder). Any reproduction or use may lead to copyright disputes.