Role of Medicinal Herbs in Periodontal Therapy

Gingival and periodontal diseases are among the common problems in oral health globally and is seen to be rising more in developing countries. Most of these diseases are caused due to the microbial aggregates in dental plaque. The conventional chemotherapeutic agents have limited success in the complete elimination and prevention of periodontal disease. Rise of incidence in periodontal diseases,increased resistance by pathogenic bacteria and the threat of opportunistic infections, has renewed the search for alternative and complementary treatment strategies over the years. Ayurveda the ancient system of healthcare mentions a large number of herbal plants beneficial in the management of periodontal infections. The nature derivedphyto-chemicals that are isolated from plants are considered to be better alternatives to synthetic chemotherapeutic agents. The herbs and medicinal plants in the medica (Ayurvedic material) have been proven not only to be safe and useful but with very minimal side effects. This paper attempts to study the various herbal medicinal plants that possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic and analgesic properties which can be used efficaciously for the prevention and management of the gingival and periodontal diseases with minimal adverse reactions. Hence an integration of modern oral hygiene practices with the ancient traditional ayurvedic herbs in the various gingival and periodontal diseases can provide safe, affordable and economic treatment options to patients in general and to the low socio-economic group.