Does Daily Intake of Matcha Tea Enhance The Periodontal Health of Patients With Localised Gingivitis: A Control Study.

Background: Gingivitis is a reversible, dental biofilm-induced inflammation which is characterised by bleeding on probing (BOP) and oxidative stress in the gingival tissues. Matcha tea, a type of green tea with high antioxidant content, has been reported to enhance periodontal health, but its exact beneficial efficacy remains to be investigated.

Objective: This pilot-controlled trial aimed to investigate the influence of daily consumption of matcha tea on gingival status and salivary 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) concentration in localised gingivitis patients, as well as to determine the bleeding on probing (BOP) threshold that predicts for gingival health after intervention.

Methods: Twenty-seven adults with localised gingivitis (BOP >10% but ≤30%) drank matcha tea twice a day for 30 days while maintaining oral hygiene habits. Clinical parameters, including plaque index (PI) and BOP, as well as salivary 8-OHdG, were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention. After treatment, patients with BO 10% were reassigned as healthy, and those with BOP ≥10% as gingivitis. Regression and correlation analyses, including the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney test, ANCOVA, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, were performed to determine a BOP cut-off value that would predict gingival health.

Results: PI, BOP, and 8-OHdG were statistically significantly decreased in the entire cohort after 1 month. Patients reassigned as healthy underwent a greater reduction in PI (from 28.3 ± 7.5 to 17.5 ± 5.3), BOP (from 16.4 ± 5.0 to 5.6 ± 2.5) and 8-OHdG (from 6.9 ± 1.6 to 5.6 ± 1.8 ng/ml). In contrast, patients with gingivitis had statistically significant reductions in PI and BOP, but not in 8-OHdG. The mean BOP reduction was statistically significantly higher in healthy subjects. A ROC calculation revealed a BOP cut-off 18% at baseline, indicating a high likelihood of achieving gingival health following ingestion of the matcha tea (sensitivity = 0.92, specificity = 0.70).

Conclusion: Daily intake of matcha tea for 1 month improved gingival health and decreased oxidative stress markers in the localised gingivitis patients. A 18% baseline BOP predicted successful transition to gingival health after intervention. These results corroborate the adjuvant therapy of matcha tea in the treatment of gingivitis, and further large-scale randomised trials are recommended.

Source of funding: No external funding was received.