March 1, 2022

People who like spicy food often say they enjoy the taste, the thrill, and perhaps the challenge of eating it. It is doubtful that you will hear someone talk about the therapeutic benefits of hot peppers. But that might be a more common response in the future, given the long-term research of Man-Kyo Chung, DMD, PhD, professor in the University of Maryland School of Dentistry’s (UMSOD) Department of Neural and Pain Sciences and new co-director of the University of Maryland Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research. The conversation about eating chili peppers may change to reflect the growing knowledge that capsaicin — the active ingredient in chili peppers — can help alleviate chronic oral pain and perhaps even reverse it.

Learn more here.

Depicted: Man-Kyo Chung, DMD, PhD