Herbs in dentistry

Abstract

Herbs have been used for centuries to prevent and control disease. Herbal extracts are effective because they interact with specific chemical receptors within the body and are in a pharmacodynamic sense, drugs themselves. By using herbal medicines, patients have averted the many side effects that generally come with traditional medicines, but this does not mean that side effects do not occur. Only knowledgeable practitioners can prescribe the right herb and its proper dosage. Herbal medicines had been considered in every culture, however, pharmaceutical companies overturned this type of thinking. Now, pharmaceuticals are called traditional and herbs are libeled as the 'alternative'. The biggest challenge and problem is lack of information about the effect of herbs in oral tissues, mechanism of effect, and side effects. Several popular conventional drugs on the market are derived from herbs. These include aspirin (from white willow bark), digitalis (from foxglove), and sudafed (modelled after a component in the plant ephedra). Herbal products can vary in their potency. Therefore, care must be taken in selecting herbs, even so, herbal medicines have dramatically fewer side effects and are safer to use than conventional medications. The herbs described in this article are Bloodroot, Caraway, Chamomile, Echinacea, Myrrh, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Aloe Vera, Propolis, and a summary of other herbs that are useful in dentistry. Herbs may be good alternatives to current treatments for oral health problems but it is clear that we need more research.

Nrf2/ARE-mediated antioxidant actions of pro-electrophilic drugs

“…Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is widely used and commercialized, not only as a culinary herb but also as an antioxidant in foods, nutritional supplements, and cosmetics [80–87]. The plant also has been used in traditional folkloric medicine as a natural healing remedy with alleged therapeutic effects such as prevention of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, inflammation disorders, and reduction in cancer risk [80–87].…”

“…The plant also has been used in traditional folkloric medicine as a natural healing remedy with alleged therapeutic effects such as prevention of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, inflammation disorders, and reduction in cancer risk [80–87]. Recently, biopharmaceutical attention has focused on rosemary due to the presence of active chemical substances that may act as potential drugs [85, 86].…”

Essential oils and plant extracts with activity against oral microorganisms: prevention and treatment of oral diseases

“…Essential oils and plant extracts have been investigated recently as promising agents for the prevention or treatment of many oral diseases (Palombo 2011;Taheri et al 2011). Their multicomponent chemical composition and multiple mechanisms of antimicrobial action, including the ability to act on many bacterial structures simultaneously, enables their activity against both antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Kon & Rai 2012).…”

Comparative evaluation of fresh Aloe barbadensis plant extract and mineral trioxide aggregate as pulpotomy agents in primary molars: A 12-month follow-up study

“…So as to subjugate with the shortcomings of MTA, a shift toward Mother Nature was given a thought, and various ayurvedic and medicinal plants were extensively studied. [7] One such plant falling under this category is Aloe vera ( Aloe barbadensis Mill -family Liliaceae). [8] Aloe, native to Africa, is also known as “lily of the desert,” the “plant of immortality,” and the “medicinal plant.” Around 2000 years ago, the Greek scientists regarded A. vera as the universal panacea.…”