07 Sep

London Dentist Advises on Herbal Oral Care Remedies

London dentists advise that several herbal remedies help with oral care. Tea Tree Oil (melaleuca alternifolia), bloodroot, and propolis extract will be discussed. Tea tree oil (melaleuca alternifolia) has been found to have antiseptic, fungicide and bactericide effects. Its efficiency against oral bacteria has been reported, and it has also been found to be effective in treating thrush and herpes in the oral cavity. Mouth rinses containing essential oils have been shown to significantly reduce both gingival inflammation and gingival bleeding when compared to fluoride containing toothpastes. Sanquinaria extract is a mixture of benzophenanthridine alkaloids derived from Sanguinaria Canadensis L. (bloodroot). When Mexican Sanguinaria extract (1 mg/ml) was used twice daily as an oral rinse for 2 weeks, without allowing any toothbrushing, the results demonstrated that Mexican Sanguinaria extract significantly reduced gingivitis, and concluded that Mexican Sanquinaria extract in oral rinse can be used as an adjunct in gum disease therapy. Other extensive clinical trials using oral rinses and toothpaste products containing Sanguinaria extract have shown its effectiveness in reducing plaque build-up and gingivitis. Other studies using a combination of sanquinaria extract and zinc chloride also showed excellent results. It has been suggested that the zinc ion may provide a mild enhancement of sanguinaria effectiveness against gingivitis. A 20% ethanol Propolis extract was compared to antifungal agents such as nystatin, clotrimazole, econazole, and fluconazole in a study designed to assess the susceptibility of Candida albicans (which causes thrush). Propolis extract was as effective as nystatin in reducing C. albicans, and was significantly more effective than the other antifungal agents used in this study. Full denture patients that used a propolis extract also showed a decrease in C. albicans. These three herbal remedies have been shown to be effective in helping several oral diseases.