A Review - Concept of Ayurveda and Oral Hygiene

Oral diseases continue to be a major health problem throughout world. In developing countries it is the cause of increasing incidence of oral cancer and other disorders. Now a days in this modern world, some foods like junk foods, beverages, chocolates etc and habits like smoking can also result in poor oral hygiene. For prevention and the treatment of oral diseases, modern medicine has several chemical agents being commercially available, these can alter oral micro biota and have undesirable side-effects such as vomiting, diarrhea tooth staining and various orodental diseases. Ayurveda emphasis upon the maintenance and promotion of positive health which is its primary objective. For this purpose various regimens should be followed every day known as Dinacharya which includes oral hygiene, food hygiene, personal hygiene etc. For the cure of various oral diseases Ayurveda recommends treatments with specific herbs and minerals along with some daily use therapeutic procedures for the prevention and maintenance of oral health. Various Ayurvedic herbs and natural products have been used for their pharmacological activities like antiulcer, wound healing, anti inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and have been proven to be safe and effective for oral disease and hygiene. In this paper, an attempt has been made to reveal the scientific evidence based review for the prevention and maintenance of oral health and hygiene mentioned in Ayurveda.