New research suggests that using a mouthwash containing matcha, a finely ground green tea powder, may prevent and treat inflammatory gum disease. In their initial study, the researchers conducted in vitro experiments to test the efficacy of a matcha solution against 16 bacterial species found in the mouth, including three strains of P. gingivalis.
Within two hours of exposure to the solution, nearly all of the P. gingivalis cells were killed. At four hours, all the cells died, suggesting matcha inhibits bacterial growth and has bactericidal properties.
In a second clinical study, the same researchers divided 45 people with chronic periodontitis into three groups and gave each group either sodium azulene sulfonate hydrate, barley tea powder, or matcha powder to assess whether mouthwash solutions derived from the powders eliminated P. gingivalis in the oral cavity. The participants prepared mouthwashes at home using specific tap water concentrations and rinsed twice daily with 10 milliliters of mouthwash for a month.
After rinsing, they avoided eating and drinking for 30 minutes. The researchers found that participants in the matcha mouthwash group had significantly lower levels of P. gingivalis in their saliva samples at the end of the study compared with the two other groups.
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