A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends in Herbal Medicine for Periodontal Disease

Background: Periodontal disease represents a significant global oral health challenge, with increasing interest in herbal medicine as an alternative or complementary treatment approach. Despite growing research in this field, no bibliometric analysis has systematically mapped the global research and evolution of herbal medicine for periodontal disease. Objective: This study aimed to analyze global research trends, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution related to herbal medicine for periodontal disease research through bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature from 1988 to 2025. Methods: Publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database using a comprehensive search strategy combining herbal medicine terminologies with periodontal disease terms. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to generate visualizations of publication patterns, collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence networks. Research clusters were identified through keyword co-occurrence analysis, with silhouette values calculated to evaluate cluster quality. Results: The analysis revealed 257 relevant publications with a significant increase in annual publication output, particularly after 2016. China emerged as the leading country (89 publications), followed by Brazil (34), India (30), and the USA (28). Sichuan University was the most productive institution (15 publications). Journal of Ethnopharmacology was the primary publication venue (23 articles). The keyword co-occurrence analysis identified 13 distinct research clusters with high silhouette values (0.782–0.976), representing diverse research directions including anti-inflammation mechanisms, network pharmacology, alveolar bone loss, and periodontal regeneration. Temporal analysis demonstrated an evolution from basic antimicrobial studies toward more sophisticated molecular mechanisms and computational approaches. Conclusion: Research on herbal medicine for periodontal disease has experienced significant growth and diversification, with emerging research fronts in network pharmacology, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and tissue regeneration. International collaboration networks have expanded, with Asian countries increasingly contributing to the field. This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape and identifies potential directions for future investigation in herbal approaches to periodontal disease management.