1
Natural Oral Care in Dental Therapy: Current and Future Prospects

Durgesh Nandini Chauhan1*, Prabhu Raj Singh2, Kamal Shah3 and Nagendra Singh Chauhan4

1Columbia Institute of Pharmacy, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

2MKD Muti Speciality Dental Clinic, Annupur, Madhy Pradesh, India

3Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Chaumuha, Mathura, (U.P.) India

4Drugs Testing Laboratory Avam Anusandhan Kendra, Raipur Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Nowadays, natural medicines like honey, clove, miswak, and propolis are a part of dental treatment due to their reduced toxicity, wide availability, and cost effectiveness. This chapter gives an insight to the reader about the potential use of natural products in current dentistry. They are in many forms and include chewing sticks, oils, herbal extracts, minerals, animal products (e.g., honey), herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations, and finished herbal products that contain parts of plants or other plant materials as active ingredients. Natural medicines hold huge benefits as adjunctive therapeutic uses in dentistry. Use of these techniques with suitable dosage would benefit the general population by preventing various dental problems.

Keywords: Antiplaque, dentistry, antimicrobial, natural, oral health care, herbal, phytochemical, medicinal plants

1.1 Introduction

Oral health is a key indicator of overall health, well-being, and quality of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines oral health as "a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual's capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial well-being" [1].

There are seven major oral diseases and conditions reported for most of the oral disease burden.

1. Dental caries (tooth decay)
2. Periodontal (gum) diseases
3. Oral cancers
4. Oral manifestations of HIV
5. Oro-dental trauma
6. Cleft lip and palate
7. Noma

Oral diseases affect at least 3.58 billion people worldwide, with caries of the permanent teeth being the most common of all conditions assessed. Worldwide, it is estimated that 486 million children suffer from caries of primary teeth, and 2.4 billion people suffer from caries of permanent teeth as per study on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 [2].

Natural oral care rises to a growing trend in the increased use of "over-the-counter" dental product. Nowadays, there is a huge range of natural oral care products and technology available that are self used without consulting an expert. The potential use of natural product in current dentistry is obtained from plants, animals, marine animals, and minerals sources (Figure 1.1). Minerals like alum, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium chloride are commonly used in dentistry. The use of an alum mouthrinse daily inhibited caries development in children with decay-prone teeth [3]. The saturated saline rinse and alum rinse showed statistically significant reductions in salivary S. mutans counts in children [4]. Intrinsic tooth stain was reduced using sodium chloride with vinegar [5]. Sodium bicarbonate acts as an antiadhering agent for bacteria [6]. Cheese and cow milk stimulates salivary secretion and increases plaque calcium concentration and protection from caries [7, 8].

Natural products have been used in dentistry as analgesic and local anesthetic, as antimicrobial plaque agents, as antiseptics, whitening agent, antibacterials, to prevent adhesion of bacteria, antianxiety, and anti-halitosis. Commonly used natural products are Azadirachta indica, Syzygium Aromaticum, Acacia catechu, Aloe vera, miswak, and propolis. Plants are also used in root canal irrigation, pulpal and dentin repair, solvents, sealer cements, natural antioxidants, and storage medium (Table 1.1). Morinda citrifolia, propolis, Triphala, and aloe vera, besides their oral care activity also act as additives in dental treatment. In the last few decades, various phytochemicals are reported in dentistry showing antimicrobial, analgesic, local anesthetic, anti-halitosis, and teeth whitening activity (Table 1.2). The chemical constituents obtained from natural resources play a key role in dentistry. Phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavones, flavonoids, flavonols, terpenoids, terpenes, phenols, phenolic acids, saponins, glycosides, quinone derivatives, organosulfur compounds, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, lectins, enzymes, and amino acids are widely used in oral care (Table 1.3).

Figure 1.1 Sources of natural care used in dental.

Table 1.1 Classification of natural oral care on the basis of their uses.