Ethno-dentistry: popular medicinal plants used for dental diseases in India

There is a long and venerable history of the use of plants to improve dental health and promeote oral hygiene. Plant contain phytochemicals such as alkanoids, tannins, essential oils and flavanoids which have pronounced defensive and curative activity. India is a vast country with people from different cultures and communities. There are many species of medicinal plants belonging to various families which are being used, traditionally, to control and cure a variety of dental problems by the Indian population. The proper documentation of traditional knowledge may be helpful to promote further research in dental science. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2012; 1(1.000): 62-65]