Ginger as a Potential Remedy for Periodontitis Treatment: A Review on the Present Evidence

Abstract

Background

Periodontitis is an oral inflammatory condition related to tooth-supporting tissues (e.g., the gingiva, alveolar bone, and periodontal ligament) and affects 70%–80% of people globally. Periodontitis can be linked with some serious diseases, like cardiovascular disorders, oral cancer, and metabolic syndrome, and it has not been declared an ideal therapy with minimum side effects against it.

Aims

In this narrative review, we aimed to argue documents related to periodontitis and ginger therapy, with a particular focus on involved mechanisms.

Methods

This literature review was conducted on the effects of ginger administration on periodontitis treatment by screening English documents by searching related keywords, including “Periodontitis,” “Periodontal diseases,” “Periodontal disorders,” “Ginger,” “In vitro,” “In vivo,” “Experimental,” “Preclinical, “and” “Clinical” in different databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scientific Information Databases until February 5, 2025.

Results

Herbal medicine using ginger (Zingiber officinale) has gathered much attention in different societies due to its various pharmacological benefits, for instance, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, chemoprotective, and immunoprotective activities. Recently, some preclinical and clinical papers have emphasized the anti-periodontitis influences of ginger through various mechanisms, such as repressing Gram-negative bacteria involved in disease pathogenesis, suppressing inflammatory mediators, improving periodontal parameters, and potentiating antioxidant deference system.

Conclusion

Ginger would be an effective natural product that may diminish the inflammation and tissue damage caused by periodontitis.