The therapeutic properties of shiitake, a mushroom that grows on dead or dying stumps and trunks of beech, oak and chestnut trees, are countless: the best known are its antioxidant, anti-tumour, antifungal and antiviral properties. Rich in vitamin D and essential amino acids, this mushroom from the Far East also helps protect the health of the gums and teeth.
Medicinal mushrooms, widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, have also been studied in the West for decades for their ability to boost the immune system and for their antimicrobial properties, yet they had never been used to treat disorders of the mouth.
A 2011 study tested the antimicrobial properties of shiitake on patients with gingivitis, an inflammation of the gum tissues caused by plaque building up along the gum line which, if left untreated, can progress to periodontitis.
The results indicated that shiitake mushrooms lower the number of pathogenic organisms without harming the beneficial ones that live in the mouth, preserving the overall wellbeing of the teeth and gums.
Eating shiitake mushrooms may also help prevent tooth decay, thanks to several biologically active components such as erythritol, copalic acid, adenosine, carvacrol and others, as shown by numerous in vivo and in vitro tests.
Eaten cooked but also available as a dry extract, shiitake mushrooms are also useful for lowering cholesterol, combating arteriosclerosis, colds and flu, revitalising circulation, reducing appetite and treating the common cold.
The only known adverse reaction to eating shiitake mushrooms is an eruption of itchy red papules, called shiitake dermatitis, in predisposed individuals. Given its marked ability to stimulate the immune system, it is also not recommended in cases of autoimmune disease or transplants.
Sources:
Ciric L, Tymon A, Zaura E, Lingström P, Stauder M, Papetti A, Signoretto C, Pratten J, Wilson M, Spratt D, In vitro assessment of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) extract for its antigingivitis activity (September 2011)
Avinash J, Vinay S, Jha K, Das D, Goutham BS, Kumar G, The Unexplored Anticaries Potential of Shiitake Mushroom (December 2016)
