Publications

Abstract : The practice of medicine has evolved over many centuries to reach its current state. A recent survey conducted by the World Health Organization estimated that almost 70–80% of the population in the developing world has resorted to traditional practices for treatment of a variety of ailments (87). The populations of the two most populous countries in the world, China and India, have practised traditional medicine for the management of oral diseases, including periodontal disease, for well over 2000 years. Furthermore, as group living is still the norm rather than the exception in both countries, customs and practices have been preserved over the generations. Thus, the World Health Organization statistics are likely to be valid for periodontal diseases. In a recent survey of a Chinese population, it was concluded that more than 50% of the rural adult population preferred to either ignore symptoms such as gingival bleeding or try traditional treatments before approaching dental surgeons (95). Reliable statistics are not available for the Indian sub-continent, but an Indian Dental Association survey reported that only 25% of the rural Indian population sought professional dental advice (19, 30, 49). Unfortunately, most traditional techniques are based on anecdotal experience rather than evidence-based practice. Consequently, a comparative evaluation of the efficacy and limitations of these practices is almost impossible. However, the influence of these traditional practices should not be ignored, especially in a country such as India where almost 30% of the population have no access to dental care (19, 30). Given the almost bewildering range of techniques and herbal products that are used to treat periodontal disease, a fully comprehensive review is not possible here. However, some of the more popular methods, the rationale for their use, and the possibilities of integrating them into present-day practice are described in this review.