The magic mushroom for the treatment of gum disease

Botanical name: Lentinula edodes. In Japanese, "shii" refers to the tree on which these mushrooms grow on, "také" means mushroom.

Studies on Shiitake Mushrooms Lentinan, a potent antifungal protein in shiitake mushrooms, was found to have cancer-preventing properties.

One study resulted in slower development of smaller tumours after oral treatment with lentinan. It also exhibited that it could slow down the progression of HIV and leukaemia. Another study found that the spores of shiitake mushrooms can have medicinal effect on the liver, reduce inflammation and have cancer-preventive properties for patients with chronic hepatitis.

Shiitake mushroom and dental health There are several factors which contribute to the severity of periodontal disease like diabetes, genetic make-up, alcohol consumption and smoking. However the type of the bacteria present inside the plaque and its virulence plays a major role in determining the extent of the destruction, progression and prognosis of the gum disease.

Prevotella intermedia are one of these pathogenic species identified in chronic adult periodontitis. Research has shown that shiitake mushrooms can change the population of bacteria inside the dental plaque for the better. Better bacterial species mean less gum disease and maybe fewer cavities. Although more research is required to reach meaningful qualitative and quantitative results, current data have promising implications in the treatment of chronic adult periodontitis.

If you suffer from gum disease and wish to discuss with our dentist, please call us on 01923254979.