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Unconventional medicine (UM) has been known and practised since the recorded history of civilization. Some unconventional practices may be viewed as “the continuity of traditions, religious beliefs, and even quackery that non-specialists practice.” These practices have been associated with religious beliefs and the spiritual domain as well as with the physical domain. In ancient Old World civilizations, UM was performed by skilled experts or wise men; in today's Western civilization, practitioners may or may not be licensed, and some are charlatans. Dentistry, like medicine, is a traditional, science-based, highly regulated healthcare profession that serves increasingly sophisticated and demanding clients. Today, traditional dental practice is dealing with an array of challenges to the established professional system; these challenges are generally termed “alternative” (or complementary, unconventional, or integrative). Genuine alternatives are comparable methods of equal value that have met scientific and regulatory criteria for safety and effectiveness. Because “alternative care” has become politicized and is often a misnomer – referring to practices that are not alternative to, complementary to, or integrating with conventional health care – the more accurate term “unconventional” is used.

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Objective: Gram-negative bacteria provoke polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) to release reactive oxygen species in chronic periodontitis (CP). Inability to maintain a balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant levels makes patients more susceptible to periodontal disease. The present study aims to estimate and compare salivary total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) in subjects with clinically healthy periodontium and patients with CP. Methods: After fulfilling the selection criteria, a total of 20 subjects (10 with clinically healthy periodontium and 10 with CP) were subjected to unstimulated salivary sample collection for biochemical estimation of TAOC by spectrophotometric assay using Kovacevic method. Analysis of data was done with unpaired student t-test, using SPSS version 22 statistical program. Results: Salivary TAOC was significantly higher in subjects with clinically healthy periodontium compared to CP patients. It was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study indicated increased levels of salivary TAOC in patients with CP compared to clinically healthy periodontium. Alteration in defensive antioxidant status could be a risk factor in the progression of periodontal disease.

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