PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC AND NATUROPATHIC ADJUNCT THERAPIES IN PERIODONTICS

Phytotherapy is a Latin term ¿Phytö- which means plants and ¿therapy¿ meaning treatment or cure. It is defined as the therapy which involves the use of extracts of natural origin as medicines or health promoting agents. According to the World Health Organisation, 80% of the world¿s population depends upon the Traditional medicine for their primary healthcare needs as these plant extracts were easily available, affordable and culturally appropriate. The economic benefits could also be achieved through the development of indigenous medicines and the use of herbal medicines to treat various diseases. 25% of the medical drugs were based on herbs and their derivatives in developed countries. Numerous traditional medicinal plants have been evaluated for their potential application in the prevention or treatment of oral diseases. A number of studies have investigated the activity of plant extracts and products against specific oral pathogens, while others have focused on the ability of the products to inhibit the formation of dental bio films by reducing the adhesion of microbial pathogens to the tooth surface, which is a primary event in the formation of dental plaque.