Oral health loss is one of the major problems existing all over the world and is one of the top causes of death when unmanaged. The oral cavity is home to numerous pathogenic microorganisms, some of which are responsible for the progression and development of various systemic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and myocardial infarction. Worldwide, 60-90% of school children and nearly 100% of adults have dental cavities, often leading to pain and discomfort. There are implications for the global economy as well, due to the continuous burden of investing resources to maintain oral hygiene. Not surprisingly, developing countries are disproportionally affected.  There is thus an urgent need to develop economical solutions for the treatment of oral diseases. The trend of exploring plants or plant-derived compounds for the prevention and cure of death-causing diseases is on the rise. The use of traditional medicine for oral diseases is an ancient practice in which medicinal herbs play a major role. Medicinal plants have minimal side effects and no denigrating properties. Accordingly the use of medicinal plants to curtail oral pathogens has been reported by a number of studies.

The present book updates the issues related to oral health, oral diseases and the role of medicinal plants in overcoming orally-derived health problems. We also highlight the knowledge gaps in oral health related problems with medicinal plants as one of the solutions. Our ultimate goal is to encourage future research and application of medicinal plants for economical and efficient treatment of oral diseases.

1;Dedication;6 2;Preface;8 3;Contents;9 4;Chapter 1: Introduction;11 5;Chapter 2: Oral Hygiene for Healthy Life;14 6;Chapter 3: Oral Diseases and Their Severity;16 6.1;3.1 Dental Caries: Widespread Chronic Disease;16 6.1.1;3.1.1 Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD);16 6.1.2;3.1.2 Diabetes;17 6.1.3;3.1.3 Respiratory Disease;18 6.1.4;3.1.4 Stroke;19 6.1.5;3.1.5 Chronic Kidney Disease;19 6.1.6;3.1.6 Dementia;19 6.1.7;3.1.7 Stomach Ulcers;20 6.1.8;3.1.8 Oral Cancers;20 6.2;3.2 Different Oral Health Deformities;20 6.2.1;3.2.1 Caries;21 6.2.2;3.2.2 Hypoplasia;21 6.2.3;3.2.3 Dental Erosion;21 6.2.4;3.2.4 Periodontal Disease;21 6.2.5;3.2.5 Potentially Malignant Oral Lesions;22 6.3;3.3 Reasons of Declined Oral Health;22 7;Chapter 4: Traditional Information About Herbal Medicine of Oral Activity;25 8;Chapter 5: Role of Medicinal Plant Species in Oral Health Sector;27 8.1;5.1 Combating Oral Diseases with Herbal Medicine;27 8.2;5.2 Medicinal Plants Used in Dentistry;28 8.2.1;5.2.1 Aloe vera (Fig. 5.1a);28 8.2.2;5.2.2 Blood Root (Sanguinaria canadensis) (Fig. 5.1b);29 8.2.3;5.2.3 Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) (Fig. 5.1c);29 8.2.4;5.2.4 Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) (Fig. 5.1d);29 8.2.5;5.2.5 Black Cohosh (Rhizoma Cimicifugae racemosae) (Fig. 5.1e);30 8.2.6;5.2.6 Caraway (Carum carvi) (Fig. 5.1f);30 8.3;5.3 Medicinal Plants Used to Maintain Oral Health;30 8.3.1;5.3.1 Evening Primrose (Oleum oenothera biennis) (Fig. 5.2a);30 8.3.2;5.3.2 Garlic (Allium sativum) (Fig. 5.2b);30 8.3.3;5.3.3 Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) (Fig. 5.2c);31 8.3.4;5.3.4 Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) (Fig. 5.2d);31 8.3.5;5.3.5 Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) (Fig. 5.2e);32 8.3.6;5.3.6 Neem (Azadirachta indica) (Fig. 5.2f);32 8.4;5.4 Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatment of Oral Diseases;32 8.4.1;5.4.1 Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) (Fig. 5.3a);32 8.4.2;5.4.2 Turmeric (Curcuma longa) (Fig. 5.3b);33 8.4.3;5.4.3 Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) (Fig. 5.3c);33 8.4.4;5.4.4 Meswak (Salvadora persica) (Fig. 5.3d, e);33 8.4.5;5.4.5 Peppermint (Mentha piperita) (Fig. 5.3f);34 8.5;5.5 Medicinal Plants in Nourishing Oral Health;34 8.5.1;5.5.1 Sesame (Sesamum indicum) (Fig. 5.4a);34 8.5.2;5.5.2 Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) (Fig. 5.4b);35 8.5.3;5.5.3 Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) (Fig. 5.4c);35 8.5.4;5.5.4 Sage (Salvia officinalis) (Fig. 5.4d);35 9;Chapter 6: Oral Health Care Products Obtained from Medicinal Plants;37 10;Chapter 7: Clinical Evidence of Dental Treatment by Using Herbal Formulations;40 11;Chapter 8: Conclusions;42 12;Chapter 9: Future Recommendations;43 12.1;9.1 Role of Dental Professionals in Improving Safety;43 13;References;45