The Role of Herbal Medicine in the Management of Oral Conditions: A Comprehensive Review.

Abstract

Herbal medicine has been traditionally used in managing various health conditions, including oral diseases. With growing interest in natural treatments, numerous plant-derived compounds have been studied for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and wound-healing properties. The present study aims to evaluate the influence of various types of herbal medicine in the management of oral conditions, along with their advantages and disadvantages. For this review article, a complete query was carried out on PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and Scopus databases, and the studies published during 2015-2024 were collected using the keywords such as "Herbal Medicine," "Oral Disorder," "Complementary Therapies", "Treatment Outcome," and "Drug Effects." After applying appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria, 64 relevant articles focused on the application of herbal medicine in the treatment of oral diseases were selected and evaluated. Among all the medical herbs, aloe vera, turmeric, ginger, and green tea have shown more promising antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to oral health. In other words, studies suggest that the mentioned herbs may aid in reducing plaque formation, managing gingival inflammation, promoting wound healing, and controlling oral microbial infections better than other herbs. As evidenced by the obtained results, herbal medicine holds promise as a complementary or alternative approach in oral care due to its bioactive properties and potential therapeutic benefits. However, further clinical trials and scientific validation is necessary to ensure safety, efficacy, and standardization before herbal treatments can be fully integrated into modern practice.