New Study Highlights the Potential of Reishi For Treating Gum Disease

Reishi mushrooms are already known for their immense health benefits. But could they really help with gum disease, too? The initial research seems promising. Recent findings point to reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) as a possible treatment for gum issues like gingivitis and periodontitis. The results are early but promising, indicating that reishi might help boost gum health and stop gum disease from getting worse.

How do reishi mushrooms affect gum health?

Reishi mushrooms are well-known for helping reduce inflammation, fighting off harmful oxidation, and boosting the immune system. Since gum diseases are characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress, researchers wanted to see if reishi could counteract these effects. To do so, they orally administered a reishi extract to rats with periodontitis. Throughout the course of treatment, there was a significant increase in markers that indicate inflammation and oxidative stress, revealing that reishi mushrooms might help lower the negative impacts of gum disease and improve oral health (1).

Future research

As promising as the results are, clinical trials on human participants are required to confirm the efficacy and optimal dosing. For now, reishi’s success in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress makes it a great candidate for more research in treating gum disease.

References

1. Hossain, Shahdat, Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Borhan Uddin, Taslima Nahar, Marzan Sarker, and Shoriful Islam Joy. 2024. “Oral Administration of Ganoderma Lucidum Extract Protects Gingival Tissues against Proinflammatory TNF and Oxidative Stress in Periodontitis Model Rats.” International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, January. https://doi.org/10.1615/intjmedmushrooms.2024053946.