Jyotsna Srinath, Lakshmi. T
Diseases of the oral cavity are very prevalent; they can occur in the young and the old and carries no gender prelidiction. Commonest oral diseases are dental caries, periodontitis and oral candidiasis. All these diseases are predominantly caused by micro organisms and their treatment involves anti microbials. Excessive usage of these drugs can lead to development of resistance by the microbes and also, these drugs can lead to many unnecessary side effects, like headaches, GIT disturbances, nausea, vomiting etc. Modern medicine is moving towards researching herbal remedies for medical treatment, to prevent unnecessary bacterial resistance. Spices are edible products of plants used to improve the aroma and flavor of food. In the beginning of 20th century, they were employed in various traditional medicine systems to cure various diseases. Various studies don on the property of these spices also prove their medicinal properties. This article reviews the uses of select spices like Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale, Piper Nigrum, Eletteria cardamom, Cinnamomum Vernum, Syzygium aromaticum Trigonella foenum graecum, Myristica fragrans and their applications in dentistry.
