Sometimes it looks like neem researchers all get together and focus on one way to use neem. It’s been that way this month with // new articles on neem and oral care.
First Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice published a report on a human trial in which people with Type 2 diabetes used neem chew sticks for a month. The trial focused on diabetics because periodontal disease is a common side effect of the disease. Both blood and saliva samples were collected to measure bacterial loads and inflammation. In every case, they dropped significantly, with some patients showing such a dramatic reduction that their oral bacteria levels were almost comparable to a non-diabetic control group.
Particularly important is the change in levels of bacteria shown to worsen metabolic disorders, including diabetes. Gram negative bacteria – implicated in many cases of chronic inflammation – “almost disappeared,” the researchers reported. Chronic inflammation, of course, may be involved in issues ranging from cancer and heart disease to allergies, asthma and even Alzheimer’s.
A second report, published in the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice, also used humans in a randomized, double-blind crossover clinical trial to compare the difference between neem mouthwash and the commonly prescribed chlorhexidine gluconate which may cause dangerous allergic reactions as well as stain teeth permanently.
They report a
A earlier human trial, published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences,