Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum or Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine, particularly among Native American and early European-American herbalists, for oral health and specifically for supporting the gums. Traditionally, the bark and berries were chewed or made into rinses to alleviate toothaches, stimulate salivation, and purportedly improve gum health, likely due to their numbing and tingling effects caused by alkaloids and essential oils. Such usage is documented in ethnobotanical records and 19th-century herbal texts, which often recommended prickly ash for "spongy gums" and oral discomfort.

However, there is a lack of modern clinical studies directly evaluating the efficacy of prickly ash for gum health. While laboratory research indicates some antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in extracts of Zanthoxylum species, these findings are preliminary and not specific to oral applications. Consequently, the evidence supporting prickly ash for the gums is primarily traditional, with anecdotal and historical reports forming the basis for its continued use in some herbal formulations. No robust scientific validation currently exists to support its effectiveness for this body system.

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