Potential application of the fungi Inonotus obliquus, Inonotus hispidus, and the genus Russula for the treatment of periodontal disease: A scoping review v1

Periodontal disease is defined as a multifactorial condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the periodontium, resulting from dysbiosis within the subgingival biofilm (Darveau, 2010). The microbiota disrupts the homeostasis of the oral cavity and alters the host's innate immune response, triggering an aggressive inflammatory reaction marked by the massive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the activation of the RANKL pathway—a process that leads to the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues (Hajishengallis & Korostoff, 2017). According to data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD, 2023), severe periodontitis is the eleventh most prevalent disease worldwide, affecting approximately 1.09 billion people. This research proposes the introduction of mycotherapy as an innovation in periodontal treatment through the use of mycological adjunctive therapies. This is based on two key reasons: first, there is a need for additional adjunctive therapeutic alternatives for periodontal treatment, as the most commonly used agents—such as chlorhexidine and systemic or local antibiotics—can have adverse effects on a patient’s oral and systemic health, which limits their use to complex cases. Second, if a potential mycological therapy proves to be both safe and effective, it could be employed preventively to avoid or control the progression of periodontal disease. Aim To synthesize the available scientific evidence on the medicinal properties of the fungi Inonotus obliquus, Inonotus hispidus, and the genus Russula, with a focus on their potential application in the field of periodontics for future non-surgical treatments.