Ayurvedic Perspectives on Oral Health: Insights into Prevention and Management of Oral Diseases

ABSTRACT Oral health stands as a cornerstone of overall well-being, influencing various aspects of an individual's life, from physical health to social interactions and psychological well-being. Oral diseases continue to be a major health problem world-wide. Oral health is integral to general well-being and relates to the quality-of-life that extends beyond the functions of the craniofacial complex. The standard Western medicine has had only limited success in the prevention of periodontal disease and in the treatment of a variety of oral diseases. Hence, the search for alternative products continues and natural phytochemicals isolated from plants used in traditional medicine are considered to be good alternatives to synthetic chemicals. The Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 estimated that oral diseases affect close to 3.5 billion people. The majority of oral health conditions are: dental caries, periodontal diseases, oral ulcers, oral cancers etc. There is a global need for safe and effective alternative for prevention and treatment of the oral manifestations. Ayurveda can be a good alternative for this hurdle. It provides a way of life that incorporate various diets, regimens, rasayana yogas and special procedures to maintain the oral health and hygiene. This paper, is an attempt to scientifically review various Ayurvedic drugs and techniques for the maintenance of oral health and to prevent oral diseases.The present scientific evidence based review is focused on the possible role of Ayurveda in the management of various orofacial disorders.