Oral Hygiene Practices and Natural Antimicrobial Agents
Summary
The prevention and control of oral disease depend on both mechanical and chemical strategies to disrupt dental biofilms and limit the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. Daily brushing with fluoridated dentifrice, interdental cleaning and professional prophylaxis constitute the cornerstone of contemporary oral hygiene. Yet global disparities in access to these modalities have sustained interest in traditional and plant-based adjuncts, including chewing sticks, herbal mouthrinses and essential-oil formulations. Natural antimicrobial agents—phytochemicals derived from mustard, Salvadora persica (miswak), neem, green tea, moringa and other botanicals—exhibit antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. When incorporated into toothpaste, mouthwash or toothbrush bristles, these compounds inhibit plaque formation, reduce gingival inflammation and modulate the oral microbiota. Advances in delivery systems and better characterisation of mechanism of action bolster the development of affordable, culturally acceptable oral care solutions with significant public-health potential.
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Oral Hygiene Practices and Natural Antimicrobial Agents publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oral hygiene practices and natural antimicrobial agents across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biofilm: Structured community of microorganisms attached to a surface, embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix.
Phytochemical: Bioactive compound produced by plants, often responsible for antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory effects.
Plaque index: Quantitative measure of dental plaque accumulation on tooth surfaces used to assess hygiene efficacy.
Gingivitis: Inflammation of the gum tissue, typically induced by microbial irritation and plaque retention.
References
- Clinical Effect of Thioglycosides Extracted from White Mustard on Dental Plaque and Gingivitis: Randomized, Single-Blinded Clinical Trial. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- Effectiveness of Salvadora persica toothbrush and Salvadora persica chewing stick in plaque and gingivitis control: a randomized control trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (2023).
- Antiplaque Efficacy of a Novel Moringa oleifera Dentifrice: A Randomized Clinical Crossover Study. European Journal of Dentistry (2022).
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