Phytotherapy in Periodontology

Phytotherapy, as additional therapeutic method, has been expanding rapidly, conquering the whole world. Utilization of plants for medicinal purposes in India has been documented long back in ancient literature because they are essential for human survival. The traditional systems of traditional Indian medicine focus on the ability to improve endogenous defence systems rather than eliminate the exogenous pathogen. Interestingly, the current concepts of host modulation work on more or less similar principles. There is considerable evidence that plant extracts, essential oils and purified phytochemicals have the potential to be developed into agents that can be used as preventative or treatment therapies for oral diseases. While it is encouraging to see a number of clinical trials of such products, further studies of the safety and efficacy of these agents will be important to establish whether they offer therapeutic benefits, either alone or in combination with conventional therapies, that can help to reduce the overall burden of oral diseases worldwide.