Tier 2 — strong

Quercetin as a Natural Adjunct in Managing Plaque and Gingivitis in Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Ankita Rawal, Kailash Asawa, Soumya S Das, Deep Gadhia, Diya Sharma, Priyadarshni Pathak
Cureus 2026 18(5):e109382

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 42326199
PubMed Central
PMC13283035
DOI
10.7759/cureus.109382
Funding
Funding was not specified in the indexed record or the disclosure metadata available for this entry.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: Human subjects: Informed consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Ethical Committee, Pacific Dental College & Hospital, Udaipur issued approval PDCH/25/EC-57, dated June 7, 2025. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized triple-blind controlled trial
ModelHuman intervention research
Sample45 dental students aged 18–27 years
Intervention2% quercetin mouthwash, 0.2% chlorhexidine or placebo
Duration30 days
EndpointsInflammatory measures

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2026, this source examined skin and topical formulations. Design: Randomized triple-blind controlled trial. Sample/model: 45 dental students aged 18–27 years. The exposure or intervention was 2% quercetin mouthwash, 0.2% chlorhexidine or placebo. Follow-up or treatment period: 30 days.

Quercetin and chlorhexidine groups had less gingival inflammation than placebo. The trial detected no difference between the active mouthwashes in plaque scores.

Exploratory topical study. Absence of a difference does not demonstrate noninferiority, and results do not apply to oral supplement capsules.

Continue with Quercetin Data Center

For topic-level interpretation, read Quercetin for Skin and Hair: Oral vs Topical Evidence. This is a related guide; the citation panel separately identifies articles that directly cite this paper.

Key findings

  • Quercetin and chlorhexidine groups had less gingival inflammation than placebo.
  • The trial detected no difference between the active mouthwashes in plaque scores.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Inflammatory measures.
  • The result applies to the tested exposure: 2% quercetin mouthwash, 0.2% chlorhexidine or placebo; 30 days.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Exploratory topical study. Absence of a difference does not demonstrate noninferiority, and results do not apply to oral supplement capsules.
  • An individual controlled trial must be interpreted alongside its comparator, sample size, endpoint selection and independent replication. It does not validate a different commercial formulation or a general longevity claim.
  • Source basis: Source check: accessible full text and indexed metadata. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology