Matcha mouthwash shown to inhibit periodontal bacteria

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Mon. 3. June 2024

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TOKYO, Japan: Extensive research shows that Porphyromonas gingivalis is linked with the initiation and progression of periodontal disease. The antimicrobial activity of the tea plant Camellia sinensis against a wide range of pathogens has been studied; however, there is little information on its effect on P. gingivalis. Owing to the scarcity of data, researchers from Japan have explored the clinical effects of matcha—made from the raw leaves of C. sinensis—on periodontal disease and found that it inhibited the attachment and survival of P. gingivalis, suggesting its effectiveness for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.

In the study, researchers from Japan conducted a series of in vitro experiments to test the efficacy of a matcha solution against 16 oral bacterial species, including three strains of P. gingivalis. They discovered that the matcha extract eliminated the cultured P. gingivalis cells 4 hours after intake.

Subsequently, the researchers recruited 45 people with chronic periodontitis at the Nihon University Hospital School of Dentistry at Matsudo in Tokyo for a follow-up clinical study. They randomly assigned the patients to three groups and provided them with mouthwash containing barley tea, matcha extract or sodium azulene sulfonate hydrate to treat the inflammation. Participants were instructed to rinse twice daily, and the researchers analysed their saliva before and after treatment.

They reported that, unlike the other two groups, patients who used mouthwash containing matcha showed a significant reduction in the level of P. gingivalis. Given the findings, the study supports the use of matcha as part of a treatment plan for people with periodontal disease.

“Elimination of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity has been at the centre of attention for more than three decades in periodontology,” the authors wrote. “In the present study, we report that matcha, a product of Camellia sinensis, hampers Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontal pathobiont, in not only a series of in vitro experiments but also a pilot intervention clinical trial of patients with periodontitis, in which matcha mouthwash statistically significantly reduced the P. gingivalis number in saliva, as compared to the pre-intervention level. Taken together, we suggest that matcha may have clinical applicability for prevention and treatment of periodontitis,” they concluded.

The study, titled “Multimodal inhibitory effect of matcha on Porphyromonas gingivalis”, was published online on 21 May 2024 in Microbiology Spectrum, ahead of inclusion in an issue.