Exploring curcumin’s efficacy in the management of periodontal disease: An umbrella review

Abstract

Background:

Curcumin, a compound from curcuma longa, has gained attention as a potential adjunctive treatment for periodontal diseases due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Research shows that when combined with conventional treatments, curcumin can reduce gum inflammation, support tissue healing, and enhance clinical outcomes. Its mechanisms include inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and enzymes, as well as oxidative stress reduction, making it a promising supplementary therapy in periodontal care.

Materials and Methods:

A comprehensive search was conducted for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) published from 2019 to 2024. Eligible studies were reviewed for quality, methodology, and outcomes related to the use of curcumin in periodontal therapy. Studies were critically analyzed for evidence on the efficacy, safety, and optimal formulation of curcumin.

Results:

Several SRMAs indicate that curcumin significantly reduces inflammation and improves clinical parameters of periodontal health when used as an adjunct to conventional treatment. Curcumin’s antimicrobial properties also contribute to its effectiveness in controlling periodontal pathogens. Findings from this review suggest that curcumin is a promising adjunct to traditional periodontal therapy, particularly in reducing inflammation and promoting healing. However, evidence remains inconclusive regarding its optimal dosage, formulation, and long-term benefits. Most studies involved small sample sizes, lack of quality, and varied methodologies.

Conclusion:

Curcumin appears to be an effective adjunctive treatment for periodontal disease, offering potential benefits in inflammation reduction, clinical improvement, and tissue regeneration. However, further well-designed clinical trials are necessary to establish clear guidelines for its use in periodontal therapy.

INTRODUCTION

Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the supporting structures of the teeth, is a significant public health concern due to its high prevalence and association with systemic conditions.[1,2] Traditional treatment for periodontal diseases primarily involves mechanical debridement along with the use of antibiotics, but the rise of antibiotic resistance and the need for adjunctive therapies have driven the search for alternative treatments.[3,4]

Curcumin an active polyphenolic compound found in turmeric (Curcuma longa), which has gained considerable attention due to its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.[5] Numerous studies have suggested that curcumin may offer therapeutic benefits in managing periodontal disease by modulating inflammatory responses and inhibiting the growth of periodontal pathogens.[6,7]

Despite the promising results from individual studies on the therapeutic effects of curcumin, there is a need for a comprehensive umbrella review to provide an evidence basis from the existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs).[8] This approach will consolidate the diverse findings, highlight the overall efficacy of curcumin, identify any inconsistencies, and provide a clearer understanding of the optimal dosages and formulations.[8] Such a comprehensive synthesis of higher evidence studies is crucial for translating research findings into clinical practice and guiding future research directions.[9,10,11]

With this scientific background, an umbrella review was planned to explore the efficacy of curcumin in the management of periodontal disease. This review also seeks to elucidate the potential effectiveness of curcumin as an adjunctive treatment for periodontal disease, thereby offering valuable insights for clinicians and researchers in the field.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research question for the present umbrella review was framed using the PICO framework criteria,[12] as follows:

• Population (P): Patients with periodontal disease

• Intervention (I): Curcumin or curcumin-based treatments

• Comparison (C): Placebo, traditional treatments (such as scaling and root planing), or other adjunct therapies

• Outcome (O): Reduction in periodontal inflammation, pocket depth, bleeding on probing (BOP), etc.

Following the research question, a detailed protocol was developed and registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD420250650710), which outlines the objectives, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and methodological approach for conducting this umbrella review. The objectives are as follows:

1. To systematically evaluate the existing SRMAs on the use of curcumin in the treatment of periodontal disease

2. To assess the overall effectiveness of optimal dosage of curcumin in improving clinical parameters of periodontitis

3. To compare the efficacy of curcumin with standard treatments for periodontal disease, such as scaling and root planing (SRP), or as an adjunctive treatment option

4. To identify potential mechanisms of action and its safety profile by which curcumin exerts its effects on periodontal tissues.

The review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines proposed by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)[13] to ensure transparency and reproducibility.

An initial database search was performed by two investigators independently, restricting the language to English, and included relevant articles during a period from 2019 to 2024. A comprehensive literature searches across prominent databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Google Scholar, Ovid, and Web of Science were conducted using MeSH terms and Boolean operators like: “curcumin” or “curcuma” or “curcuma longa,” “turmeric” and “periodontitis,” “gingivitis” or “periodontal disease” or “periodontal therapy” or “nonsurgical periodontal treatment” and “systematic review” or “meta-analysis”. A detailed PRISMA flowchart of the search process is mentioned in the Flowchart 1.

Flowchart 1.

PRISMA (2020) flow diagram

Search strategy was followed based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria are as follows: systematic reviews (SR) alone or with a meta-analysis which focused on use of curcumin for the management of periodontal diseases, SR or with a meta-analysis which included randomized clinical trials alone, reported on clinical periodontal outcomes such as periodontal pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), BOP, Periodontal Index (PI), and Gingival Index (GI).

Whereas articles in languages other than English, SR that included studies other than randomized clinical trial such as observational studies/both cohort and case–control, in vitro studies, or animal studies, those addressed diseases other than periodontal diseases, those that did not provide clear data on clinical outcomes, abstracts, posters, conference proceedings, narrative reviews, editorials, or commentaries were all excluded from the study.

Following the search strategy, data that were found relevant were systematically extracted as follows:

• Study characteristics: Author(s), publication year, country, number of studies included in each review

• Population details: Sample size, mean age of study population in each review, gender ratio, and disease details

• Intervention details: Dosage of curcumin used, formulation, and duration of treatment

• Clinical outcomes measured: Changes in PPD, CAL, GI, BOP, and PI

• Comparative treatments: Standard treatments such as SRP or antibiotics used as comparators

• Main findings: Summary of results, conclusions, and any reported adverse effects.

Post data extraction and management, the methodological quality of each included systematic review was evaluated using the Measurement tool to assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR 2) tool.[14] Critical domains such as protocol registration, adequacy of the literature search, justification for excluding studies, risk of bias assessment, and appropriateness of meta-analytical methods were assessed. Ratings were assigned as (high, moderate, low, or critically low) based on adherence to AMSTAR 2 criteria.

Later, the data obtained were combined and compared across systematic reviews SR as:

• Qualitative: Summarized findings noted areas of agreement and divergence. Identified patterns or trends in the efficacy and safety of curcumin

• Narrative summary: Provided a comprehensive overview, discussing the implications of findings for clinical practice and potential areas for future research.

RESULTS

The electronic search process was completed by following the PRISMA framework [Flowchart 1] which yielded 815 relevant articles including SR, meta-analyses. Upon removal of 479 duplicates and 295 unrelated articles, a total of 41 records were finally assessed for eligibility. Subsequently, 31 studies were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria, leaving 10 studies eligible for inclusion in this review.[10,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23]

In total, seven were SRMAs[16,17,19,20,21,22,23] and three were SR[10,15,18] that were included in the study. Upon critically reviewing these studies, it was found that all these included studies together examined 142 individual reviews, whereas collectively evaluating 5227 patients per site, in which the participants ranged in age from 14 to 70 years. Various studies encompassed in these analyses assessed a broad spectrum of outcomes over a period that varied from as short as 1 week to as long as 6 months which was briefly summarized in Table 1 as the characteristics of the included SRMAs.

Table 1.

Characteristics of the included several systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Author name and year of publication	Number of studies included	Study design	Number of subjects and age	Type of curcumin and dose (mg/daily)	Duration of intervention	Comparison	Quality assessment results
Harshan et al., 2019[15]	9	Systematic review	275 20–60 years	Curenext oral gel 10 g 2% whole turmeric gel Curcumin gel 10 mg Curcumin solution Indigenous curcumin, 1%–2% curcumin gel, Carbopol-poloxamer gel of curcumin	1–6 months	SRP alone/with: ORN gel, MTZ gel 10 mg, 0.1% CHX gel, CHX chips, 0.2% CHX gel	Included studies have low risk of bias in terms of random sequence generation. But same studies showed high risk of bias concerning allocation concealment
Oliveira et al., 2021[16]	12	SRMA	326 20–60 years	10 mg/g C.longa extract (gel) 1% curcuma solution 2% turmeric gel 2% Curcuma with nano gel Turmeric extract- 2%; pluronic polymer- 20%; water; N-benzoyl-Larginine–P-nitro anilide C.longa 10 mg in a biodegradable 1000 mg hydroxypropyl cellulose matrix with 5% turmeric by weight	7 days–6 months	CHX SRP + CHX	Included studies had shown low risk of bias regarding blinding, handling of data, and selective reporting. Some criteria were unclear due to incomplete reporting. Allocation concealment was at high risk among 4 included studies and two being unclear
Souza et al., 2021[17]	15	SRMA	382 21–70 years	1% curcumin solution (1 mg curcumin extract dissolved in 5 ml of ethanol and 95 ml of glycerol 1% curcumin gel (curcumin, pluronic F-127 and distilled water) Curcumin gel (Curenext oral gel, Abbott Healthcare P.Ltd) with each gram of 10 mg C. longa extract 2% curcumin gel 2% curcumin gel using 30% of Pluronic F127 and 1% carbopol P934 0.1% curcumin (2 ml) 1 ml of curcumin solution (100 mg/L) with LED irradiation for 60s 2% curcumin nanogel (by adding 2% curcumin powder to 20% pluronic nanogel) 2% curcumin gel (100 g of curcumin powder mixed with pure alcohol) 2 g of pure curcumin mixed with 100 ml of glycerol	21 days – 6 months	SRP alone or with Saline 0.2% CHX mouthwash, 0.2% CHX gel 0.12% CHX solution Meswak	Inlcuded studies showed high risk of bias, 5 were undefined, and only one showed low risk of bias
F. Shirban et al., 2021[18]	14	Systematic review	1612 Sites, 15–60 years	Curcumin (10 mg) gel SRP + 20% Curcumin mouthwash tablet AHPL/AYTAB/1514 Curcumin 0.1% MW C-pact 20% herbal mouthwash SRP + Curcumin gel (10 mg) SRP + Curcumin gel 1%	15–60 days	CHX 2% gel CHX 0.2% gel SRP + 0.2% CHX mouthwash CHX 0.2% mouthwash CHX 2% varnish CHX 0.12% mouth wash CHX (0.25%) + MTZ 10mg 1% CHX gel	Included studies were categorized as low quality and other 7 were relatively high quality based on Jadad scale
Terby et al., 2021[19]	27	SRMA	963 sites, 18–60 years	1 mg/ml of turmeric extract + 250 g in 95 ml glycerol Curenext oral gel 2% turmeric gel 10 mg in 100 ml curcumin mouthrinse 20% curcumin mouth rinse 0.1% turmeric mouth rinse 5% curcumin chip 50 mg/sq.cm curcumin chip 0.20% curcumin chip	Not specified	Gels of SRP + CHX SRP SRP + ORN SRP + MTZ ORN CHX CHX MR SRP + CHX MR SRP + CHX SBGI SRP + CHX chips	Allocation concealment and blinding of participants had higher proportions of bias across the studies
Zhang et al., 2021[20]	9	SRMA	420 sites, 18–55 years	SRP + 2% curcumin gel SRP + 1% curcumin gel SRP + 1% curcumin subgingival irrigation SRP + 2% curcumin nanogel SRP + 5% curcumin chip	2–24 weeks	Gels of SRP + 0.2% CHX gel SRP + 0.1% CHX gel SRP + 0.2% CHX Subgingival irrigation SRP + 1% CHX gel SRP + 0.25% CHX chip	6 studies reported randomization, but only one mentioned allocation concealment. 2 studies did not blind participants and staff, and 5 did not report on blinding. None reported blinding outcome assessors
Al-Maweri et al. 2022[21]	6	SRMA	320 14–60 years	1%, 0.1%, 20% Curcumin mouthwash 0.06% nano curcumin mouthwash	21–28 days	0.2% CHX mouthwash	5 studies showed high risk and 1 study showed low risk of bias
Zhang et al., 2022[22]	18	SRMA	846 sites, 21–62 years	NPT + 1% curcumin subgingival irrigation NPT + 2% Curcumin nanogel NPP + 1% curcumin irrigation NPT + 5% curcumin chip NPT + 2% curcumin gel NPT + 20% curcumin mouthwash NPT + 1% curcumin gel NPT + 10 mg/g curcumin gel NPT + 0.1% curcumin mouthwash NPT + 0.05 mg/ml curcumin gel	1–24 weeks	NPT + saline NPT	One study did not mention randomized allocation, while five mentioned allocation concealment. Blinding of participants and staff was not reported in 14 studies, and only four reported blinding of outcome assessors
Wendorff-Tobolla et al. 2023[23]	23	SRMA	644, 20–65 years	2% turmeric gel 5% turmeric chip 2% curcumin with Nanogel 1% curcumin solution curcumin gel (250 g of powdered rhizome of C. longa in 5 mL ethanol) curcumin chip (extract conc. of 50 mg/cm) Curcumin PDT, curcumin application for 5 min and irradiation with blue LED Curcumin gel (10 mg of C.longa extract/g) Curcumin 0.2% strip placement onto GTR 0.05 mg/mL nano capsulated curcumin 1% curcumin gel 10 mg of C. longa extract Curcumin gel 10%	21 days–3 months	SRP alone or with 1% CHX CHX chip (2.5 mg) 0.2% CHX saline irrigation 0.2% CHX gel CHX gel 0.1% 5% neem chip placebo chip Tulsi extract	23 studies had a moderate risk of bias, primarily from outcome measurement, followed by missing outcome data and the randomization process
Chaubal TV et al., 2024[10]	9	Systematic review	439 (age not specified)	50 µg of curcumin PLGA/PLA nanoparticles 10 g Curenext oral gel 2% whole turmeric gel 1% curcumin gel 5% turmeric chip 2% curcumin gel 2 mg curcumin gel 250 g powdered rhizome of C. longa + 5 ml ethanol; residue + 95 ml glycerol	21 days–6 months	SRP alone or with 0.1% CHX gel, 0.2% CHX gel	9 studies showed risk of bias in missing outcome data, measurement of the outcome, and selection of the reported result

SRP: Scaling and root planning, CHX: Chlorhexidine, SRMAs: Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses, LED: Light emitting diode, NPT: Non-surgical periodontal treatment, PDT: Photodynamic therapy, MTZ: Metronidazole, ORN: Osteoradionecrosis, AHPL: Ayurvedic herbal product line, AYTAB: Ayurvedic tablet, MR: Modified release, GTR: Guided tissue regeneration, PLGA: Poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid, PL: Placebo

A total of 10 studies from various SRMA were included, encompassing a range of curcumin-based treatments, mostly for periodontal disease management, with an age range varied from 14 to 70 years, with most studies including adults (20–65 years).

Several studies were SR, whereas others employed SRMA’s, offering a variety of analyses, such as assessing the effectiveness of curcumin alone or with adjunct treatments such as SRP, chlorhexidine (CHX), or other local adjuncts.

Curcumin is typically formulated into capsules, tablets, powders, or liquid extracts. Some studies use curcumin in combination with other agents (e.g., piperine, which enhances absorption), whereas others explore the use of liposomal formulations to improve bioavailability.

Various forms of curcumin were explored in the studies, including: topical gels (e.g., 1%, 2%, or 10% curcumin gels, Curenext oral gel).

1. In the form of mouthwashes: 0.1%, 1%, 2%, or 5% curcumin solutions

2. Other formulations include curcumin chips and nanoformulations (e.g., 2% curcumin nanogel), oral tablets, and combinations with other forms like turmeric extract

3. Curcumin doses varied widely from 1 mg to 20 mg per application, with gel treatments most commonly prescribed. Some studies employed nanoformulations to increase bioavailability

4. The intervention durations ranged from 7 days to 6 months, with a majority of studies having durations between 3 weeks and 2 months.

It is very much crucial to ensure that the evidence and the conclusions of the included studies from an umbrella review should be reliable and valid, which is assessed using a quality appraisal tool that involves evaluating the methodological rigor, risk of bias, and generalizability of the studies. An outline of key steps and tools used in quality appraisal of the present review is presented in Table 2. Some of the key features of the quality appraisal are as follows:

Table 2.

Quality assessment of included reviews using A measurement tool for assessment of multiple systematic reviews

Author names and year of the study
Criteria assessed	Harshan et al., 2019[15]	Oliveira et al., 2021[16]	Souza et al., 2021[17]	Shirban F. et al., 2021[18]	S. Terby et al., 2021[19]	Zhang et al., 2021[20]	Al-Maweri et al., 2022[21]	Zhang et al., 2022[22]	Wendorff-Tobolla et al. 2023[23]	Chaubal et al., 2024[10]
PICO	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
A prior methods	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Study design selection	No	Yes					Yes
Search strategy	PY	Yes					Yes
Study selection	No	Yes					Yes
Data extraction	No	Yes					Yes
Excluded studies	PY	Yes					Yes
Included studies	Yes	Yes					Yes
RoB studies	Yes	Yes					Yes
Funding sources	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	PY	Yes	Yes	Yes
Statistical methods	No MA performed	Yes		No MA performed			Yes			No MA performed
Impact of RoB	No MA performed	Yes		No MA performed			PY			No MA performed
RoB Results	Yes	PY					PY
Heterogeneity	Yes	Yes					Yes
Publication bias	Yes	Yes					Yes
COI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Overall rating	Critically low	Low					Moderate

COI – Conflict of Interest; PICO – Population, intervention, comparator, outcome; PY – Partial Yes; RoB – Risk of Bias; MA – Meta-analysis

Quality appraisal of the included studies was performed using AMSTAR 2 tool,[14] which yield varying findings. Some of the limitations that were observed during the quality assessment were addressed below:

Strengths include that many studies have provided clear PICO; however, Harshan et al.[15] do not address this explicitly, and there may be ambiguity in the inclusion of PICO across some studies. Few studies addressed prior methods, funding source transparency, conflict of interest disclosures, and risk of bias assessment. Statistical methods and the inclusion/exclusion process are adequately described in several studies.

Weaknesses include several studies lack clarity in some areas like study design selection, data extraction, excluded studies, and statistical methods. There was considerable inconsistency in the reporting of heterogeneity and publication bias among the included reviews. Some studies did not provide sufficient details about how the risk of bias impacts results.

Most of the research studies generally meet AMSTAR 2 standards for SR, but some of them fall short in areas such as proper reporting of statistical methods, the impact of risk of bias, and search strategy. In the present review, it was observed that a quality rating of moderate to low can be given to some studies, as it can be seen that some key elements were not clear or either completely missing such as data extraction, study selection, and search strategy followed. Improving the overall quality requires future studies to adhere to more consistent and thorough reporting standards, especially in areas where reporting is currently lacking.

DISCUSSION

The role of curcumin in managing periodontal disease has generated significant interest in recent years due to its multi-faceted therapeutic effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. This umbrella review, encompassing studies from 2019 to 2024, evaluates the growing body of evidence on curcumin’s efficacy in periodontal therapy, highlighting its key findings, mechanisms, and clinical implications through an evidence-based research methodology.

Inflammation is central to the progression of periodontal disease, driven by proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL-1) β, and IL-6. Curcumin’s ability to inhibit key inflammatory mediators – including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX), lipoxygenase, and nuclear factor-kappa B has been consistently demonstrated across multiple studies. These molecular actions translate clinically into improved periodontal outcomes. For instance, Jaiswal and Dongre reported that adjunctive curcumin therapy significantly enhanced probing depth reduction and clinical attachment gain when used alongside SRP, suggesting a synergistic effect in resolving chronic inflammation.[24,25,26,27] These findings suggest by downregulating inflammatory markers, curcumin can also enhance the effectiveness of traditional periodontal treatments, potentially accelerating the recovery and improving clinical outcomes.[28]

Oxidative stress, another key contributor to periodontal tissue destruction, is addressed by curcumin’s potent antioxidant capacity.[29] Studies such as Tan et al.[30] have documented curcumin’s ability to lower oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde while enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This supports curcumin’s role in protecting periodontal structures from oxidative damage, potentially minimizing tissue breakdown and enhancing wound healing during periodontal therapy.

The microbial biofilm that forms on the teeth is the primary etiologic factor in periodontal disease. Curcumin has demonstrated antimicrobial properties, particularly against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and other pathogens implicated in periodontal inflammation, surgical infections, and implant-related bone infections. It has a broad spectrum of antibacterial actions against a wide range of bacteria, even those resistant to antibiotics.[31,32]

A study conducted by Li[33] found that curcumin not only inhibits bacterial growth but also disrupts biofilm formation. This antimicrobial activity is particularly relevant in adjunctive treatments where curcumin can reduce bacterial load and promote healing in conjunction with mechanical debridement. In addition, curcumin’s ability to modulate the virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria adds another layer of benefit in its use for periodontal management.

Curcumin’s clinical efficacy in periodontal disease management depends heavily on its delivery methods. Various formulations, including gels, mouthwashes, subgingival irrigations, and chips, have been explored. Gels, such as those used by Harshan et al.[15] and Zhang et al.,[20] typically in concentrations of 1%–2%, when applied post-SRP, demonstrated significant clinical improvements. In addition, mouthwashes with curcumin (ranging from 0.1% to 20%) have shown promise in reducing inflammation and bacterial load in periodontal pockets, as evidenced by Zhang et al.[20] The incorporation of nanoparticles in curcumin delivery, such as the curcumin nanogels discussed by Oliveira et al.[16] and Chaubal et al.,[10] enhances bioavailability, ensuring prolonged and more effective therapeutic action. These delivery systems, particularly when combined with SRP, can substantially reduce clinical parameters such as probing depth and attachment loss. However, studies comparing curcumin with conventional treatments, such as CHX, reveal that curcumin offers similar benefits with the added benefit of being a natural, low-side-effect alternative.

Combining curcumin with conventional SRP has shown promising results in improving periodontal outcomes. While SRP remains the gold standard for nonsurgical periodontitis treatment, its effectiveness can be limited by persistent inflammation. Studies have explored curcumin in various forms – gels, mouthwashes, chips, and subgingival irrigations – used adjunctively to SRP. Curcumin gels (1%–2%) and mouthwashes (0.1%–20%) have demonstrated improvements in clinical attachment and reductions in inflammation and bacterial load (Harshan et al., 2019;[15] Zhang et al., 2021[20]). In addition, curcumin chips provide sustained release, further enhancing SRP outcomes (Oliveira et al., 2021;[16] Chaubal et al., 2024[10]). These findings suggest curcumin’s potential to boost the effectiveness of SRP in periodontal management.

Curcumin is generally well-tolerated, with only mild gastrointestinal discomfort or local irritation reported in some cases. No severe adverse events have been associated with its topical or subgingival applications in the reviewed studies. Nevertheless, rare hypersensitivity reactions and concerns over bioavailability at systemic doses necessitate careful formulation and dosage standardization.

Commercially formulated products such as Meriva^®, Longvida^®, and Theracurmin^® have improved curcumin’s pharmacokinetic profile and are increasingly integrated into clinical protocols. However, over-the-counter curcumin supplements vary in quality and concentration, which may limit reproducibility and standardization in clinical practice.

The findings of this review indicate that curcumin, through its multi-targeted pharmacological actions, offers substantial promise as an adjunct in periodontal therapy. Its ability to modulate inflammation, combat oxidative stress, and inhibit pathogenic biofilms – combined with evolving delivery technologies – supports its integration into evidence-based clinical practice. However, further high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized formulations are essential to confirm its long-term efficacy and safety across diverse patient populations.

Limitations and future directions

Despite promising results, the use of curcumin in periodontal therapy has limitations, including variations in formulation, concentration, and delivery methods across studies, which make it challenging to establish standardized protocols. Furthermore, many studies have small sample sizes and methodological biases, such as unclear blinding or randomization processes, affecting the reliability of findings. Future research should focus on large-scale, well-designed clinical trials to standardize curcumin concentrations and delivery methods. In addition, exploring novel formulations such as nanocurcumin or combination therapies with other natural agents could enhance curcumin’s bioavailability and therapeutic effects. Long-term studies are also needed to evaluate the sustained benefits of curcumin in periodontal maintenance.

CONCLUSION

Curcumin shows significant potential as an adjunct to SRP in the management of periodontal disease, with various formulations, such as gels, mouthwashes, and chips, demonstrating favorable clinical outcomes. Studies indicate that curcumin’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties contribute to its effectiveness in reducing probing depth, CAL and inflammation when used alongside with SRP. Despite some variations in formulation and study design, the safety profile of curcumin remains promising, with minimal side effects reported. However, further large-scale, well-designed studies are needed to establish standardized treatment protocols, optimize curcumin delivery methods, and assess long-term benefits for periodontal care.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

Nil.