Over the past two years, matcha tea has become popular in Western countries, especially among Zoomers. This is probably due to matcha’s bright green color - quite an exotic design compared to usual coffees and teas.
However, the aesthetic side is not the only benefit of this finely ground tea powder. Recently, Japanese scientists discovered that matcha contains special molecules preventing (or at least slowing) periodontosis development.
Terminology
Periodontosis - is a gum disease caused by different groups of bacteria, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, that live on tooth surfaces and in deep periodontal pockets.
Matcha - is made from the leaves of the tea plant called Camellia sinensis, known for its antimicrobial effect. For example, previous research found that sinensis extract inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Later, scientists found that this extract also affects the Porphyromonas gingivalis growth.
What did scientists discover?
During a recent study, Japanese researchers experimented with mouthwash containing matcha extract. Participants with chronic periodontosis were divided into three groups:
- 1-st - received the medicines with a high concentration of matcha extract
- 2-d - medicines with the low concentration
- 3-d - received a sodium azulene sulfonate hydrate - a medicine typically used during inflammation treatment.
Patients used the “potion” twice a day, and scientists compared their salvia samples collected before and after the active phase of the experiment. Analysis showed a significant reduction of the P. gingivalis levels in the first group, while in the second and the third, scientists did not observe any notable changes.
This research is not the first study of tea extract’s antimicrobial features, however, in this research, matcha was for the first time used for medical purposes.
