The Practicon Viewpoint by Ann Page Griffin

BE PREPARED FOR PATIENTS' QUESTIONS ABOUT TURMERIC

Discussions about alternatives to traditional medicine have become popular on social media and have gained attention as general interest postings on Livestrong, Pinterest, and other such marketing sites. One alternative to traditional dental hygiene modalities is turmeric, an often-mentioned holistic alternative to various substances used for oral care.

A member of the ginger family, the turmeric plant is widely used in Eastern medicines and cooking. Curcumin is another form of the same plant, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Turmeric is sold as a powdered spice, in tablet or chip form, or as a liquid extract. Among its therapeutic claims are reducing inflammation, improving cognitive ability, support for joint and muscle health, balancing mood swings, and aiding weight loss. The claims have grown to include tooth whitening, toothache relief, and healing gingival inflammation plus antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.

As online publicity about the natural medicinal properties of turmeric spreads, dentists may receive questions from patients about its efficacy, particularly the control of gingival inflammation, a result of turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties. This is the factor that has been most often touted online.

A variety of studies have shown positive results that are promising, but the studies have been consistently short of participants, brief in duration, and, in some cases, poorly reported. Some research has shown that chlorhexidine and turmeric have similar anti-gingivitis and anti-plaque effects. Additionally, another small study reported that when scaling and root planing (S&RP) was done, followed by an application of turmeric gel, there was reduction in plaque index and bleeding on probing, and improvements in gingival attachment. Yet other studies included the insertion of turmeric or curcumin chips following S&RP. Again, the results with use of the chips seemed positive, but the study was flawed.

A credible answer to patients' questions about turmeric's or curcumin's use in dentistry based on information read on popular websites might be that more research is needed on both the efficacy and the appropriate dosage of these natural substances. Assure your patients that you and your staff will alert them to the latest information provided by legitimate studies.

Suggestion: for more details about the use of turmeric and curcumin in oral health, access online reports and articles; for example, the Healthy Holistic Living website.

Patients are impressed when their dentist shares knowledge concerning data they have accessed online. It is reassuring when the dentist is able to answer their questions, refer them to other sources for additional information, and inform them of the results of substantiated studies.