Licorice Root Consumption
Licorice is a flowering plant of the Fabaceae bean family. It is a perennial legume associated with several health benefits, including cough relief and inflammation reduction. It has been used traditionally in treating eczema, mouth sores, and liver swelling.
Recently, licorice root extract has been studied for its possible role in oral health care. For example, a 2019 study found that licorice root extract is similar to chlorhexidine mouthwash in destroying S. mutans bacteria associated with tooth decay. Similarly, a 2021 study concluded that licorice mouth rinse is as effective as chlorhexidine mouthwash in controlling S. mutans growth and activity.
Licorice root is not directly consumed in its raw form and is usually prepared as tea or tincture. It can also be reduced into powder form to be taken as a supplement. The WHO says that most adults can safely consume up to 100 mg of glycyrrhizic acid daily, the main ingredient in licorice extract. This translates to around 60 to 70 grams of licorice root. While licorice is generally safe to consume, it can have side effects like increased blood pressure and reduced potassium levels in the blood.
