The Effects of Curcumin in the Treatment of Gingivitis: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials

Abstract

Different modalities of treatments are available for management of gingival disease but most have adverse effects. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used for management of various inflammatory processes. This systematic review evaluates the effects of curcumin as an adjuvant to oral hygiene on plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), gingival bleeding index (GBI), and inflammation in patients with gingivitis. A comprehensive search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Based on the Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcome (PICO) model, clinical trials which tested the effects of curcumin as an adjunctive product or alone in control of gingival inflammation up until 21 February 2020 with language restrictions were selected. From the 422 papers found, 14 met the eligibility criteria. In most of these studies, curcumin treatment achieved significant reductions in PI, GI, GBI, and microbial colony count and was as effective as chlorhexidine mouthwash, with no serious adverse effects. We conclude that treatment with curcumin for gingivitis is safe as a natural herbal compound and is as effective as chlorhexidine mouthwash.