Herbal oral care: an old concept or a new model.

dental health. The commonly used Ayurvedic medications for oral and dental health can be classified based on their properties as PLANTS WITH ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTY Aloe, betel pepper (Piper betel), black pepper (Piper nigrum), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), coriander, (Coriandrum sativum), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globules), garlic (Allium sativum), turmeric (Curcuma longa), green tea (Camellia sinensis), Onion (Allium cepa), papaya (Carica papaya), potato (Solanum tuberosum) are few Indian plants species which contain antimicrobial activities.3 PLANTS WITH ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTY Spinach, pepper, black tea, broccoli, green tea, carrot, potato tomato, blackberry, grape, olive, pineapple, ABSTRACT Ayurveda, the oldest medical science originating from Indian subcontinent, has been practiced since the 12th century BC. Its objective is to accomplish physical, mental, social and spiritual well- being by adopting preventive, health promoting and holistic approach towards life. Ayurveda is the science that developed as humans evolved and has stood the test of time. Oral diseases are major health problems worldwide and are not limited to dental caries and periodontal diseases but to various autoimmune conditions. Oral health influences the general quality of life and poor oral health is linked to chronic conditions and systemic diseases. Recently there is renewed interest in use of various Ayurvedic drugs for oral and dental healthyurvedic drugs for oral and dental health.

Impact of lifestyle diseases on oral health.

The lifestyle of an individual has varied implications in his/her overall health. Lifestyle diseases caused bysmoking and use of smokeless tobacco, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, and obesity and stress contribute to the leading causes of preventable death. Of the lifestyle factors certain behaviors and practices such as poor eating habits, inactivity, use of tobacco and alcohol form the preventable factors and ethnicity, age, gender, heredity form the non-preventable factors contributing to lifestyle diseases. This review discusses the lifestyle practices that have a profound impact on the oral health and the various modifications in lifestyle that can prevent them.