Matcha Green Tea May Combat Gum Disease, Study Finds

A new study has shed light on the potential benefits of matcha, a finely ground green Japanese tea, in the fight against periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease. According to researchers, as reported by Newsweek, matcha may have clinical applications in preventing and treating this condition.

The study, published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, revealed that matcha inhibits the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a leading cause of periodontitis. As Mary Ellen Davey, a senior researcher at the ADA Forsyth Institute, explained to Newsweek:

“The natural habitat for Porphyromonas gingivalis is below the gumline in humans. It is typically detected at very low level, if at all, during health; but under certain conditions it can become destructive and transform a healthy subgingival microbiome into a pathogenic community. This results in chronic infection and inflammation and if left untreated, tooth loss.”

Ohki Pharmaceutical Develops Propolis Extract to Improve Oral Microflora

Laboratory Experiments and Clinical Trials

In laboratory experiments, the researchers found that after two hours of exposure to matcha solution, nearly all P. gingivalis cells had been killed, and by four hours, all were dead. Furthermore, in a clinical trial involving 45 people with periodontitis, those who used a matcha mouthwash had significantly lower levels of P. gingivalis in their saliva compared to those who did not.

According to Ryoma Nakao, a researcher at the Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), the study showed that “matcha extract inhibited the growth with morphological and physiological changes at the bacterial envelope.” Nakao further explained:

“Matcha extract induced nanoparticle formation and decreased membrane fluidity/permeability without loss of membrane integrity. So, the killing activity is probably due to the multimodal inhibitory effect of macha against P. ginigivalis.”

Potential for New Treatments

The researchers hope that this study could pave the way for new applications of matcha in treating periodontal disease. While further research is needed, the findings suggest that this traditional Japanese tea may offer a promising approach to combating a condition that can lead to tooth loss and other severe health complications.

Treating Gum Disease Could Reduce Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation