Echinacea Help for Gingivitis

Echinacea can help prevent and treat gingivitis.

Herbal mouthwash may be a safer alternative to commercial products containing chlorhexidine, which can have adverse side effects:⁽⁶⁷⁾

Altered taste sensation.
Peeling of mouth mucosal tissue.
Promotes teeth staining from tea and coffee.

Several clinical studies suggest that echinacea, in combination with other herbal ingredients, could help prevent or treat gum disease:

Table 7: Clinical Studies on Gum Disease Using Echinacea
Study Details	Results
Clinical Trial 55 children randomly assigned to use either:⁽⁶⁷⁾ Herbal mouthwash (Freshol) containing echinacea, holy basil, chamomile, & 3 other herbs Commercial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine This was a 3 phase study. For the 1st phase, each group used the assigned treatment daily for 10 days. The 2nd phase was 2 weeks of no treatment. For the 3rd phase, the groups switched treatments and used daily for another 10 days.⁽⁶⁷⁾	↓ Plaque.⁽⁶⁷⁾ ↓ Gum inflammation scores.⁽⁶⁷⁾ ↓ Bacteria that causes tooth decay (better than antiseptic mouthwash ingredient).⁽⁶⁷⁾ The herbal formula worked as well as the antiseptic used in commercial mouthwash in reducing plaque and gum inflammation.⁽⁶⁷⁾
Case Reports 18 adults surgically treated for gingivitis given herbal gum patch (PerioPatch®) & Izun Oral Rinse® containing:⁽⁹⁵⁾ Echinacea purpurea Centella asiatica (gotu kola)⁽⁴⁶⁾ Sambucus nigra (black elderberry)⁽⁹⁶⁾ Patients were evaluated by clinicians at 3 separate visits at 2 week intervals. They used oral rinse twice daily for up to 8 weeks. The patches were applied twice daily for 2 consecutive days and once on the 3rd day at the 1-2 week follow-up and again at the 4-6 week follow-up visits.⁽⁹⁵⁾	↑ Gum thickness.⁽⁹⁵⁾ ↓ Receding gums.⁽⁹⁵⁾ ↓ Gum inflammation.⁽⁹⁵⁾ The authors also stated these preparations have been successfully tested in separate clinical trials.⁽⁹⁵⁾ It should be noted that the authors disclosed their association with the pharmaceutical company who made the herbal patch and mouth rinse.⁽⁹⁵⁾
Clinical Trial 48 adults randomly assigned to use either:⁽⁹⁷⁾ An herbal toothpaste (Parodontax®) containing echinacea and other herbs Colgate Total toothpaste Study participants were instructed to brush their teeth with the assigned toothpaste 3 times a day for 28 days.⁽⁹⁷⁾	↓ Plaque.⁽⁹⁷⁾ ↓ Gum inflammation.⁽⁹⁷⁾ Both the herbal and commercial toothpastes significantly improved plaque and gum inflammation. However, there was no significant difference between the 2 toothpastes.⁽⁹⁷⁾
Clinical Trial 30 adults randomly assigned to use 1 of 3 different treatments for gingivitis:⁽⁹⁸⁾ An adhesive herbal tablet containing Echinacea angustifolia and other herbs. An adhesive placebo tablet. Antiseptic mouthwash containing 0.2% chlorhexidine. Tablets were applied twice a day after breakfast and dinner. Those who used the mouthwash rinsed for 30 seconds twice daily. The study lasted 2 weeks.⁽⁹⁸⁾	↓ Bleeding of gums.⁽⁹⁸⁾ ↓ Gingivitis.⁽⁹⁸⁾ After the first week, both the herbal treatment group and the mouthwash group had significantly reduced bleeding and gingivitis. However, by the end of the 2nd week only the group using the herbal treatment showed significant improvement.⁽⁹⁸⁾

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Streptococcus mutans.⁽⁶⁷⁾

Pilot and randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical studies.⁽⁹⁵⁾

Lavender, sage, and mastic gum.⁽⁹⁸⁾

Matricaria recutita (German chamomile), Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile). ⁽⁴⁶⁾