Evaluation of an Ayurvedic toothpaste in a diabetic population

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that is present in almost every country around the world. Diabetics are known to suffer more from gingivitis/periodontitis than the general population. The projected increase in the diabetic population will only lead to an increase in oral diseases, such as gingivitis in this population. This study evaluates an Ayurvedic toothpaste for the control of gingivitis in a diabetic population. In vitro and in vivo evaluations were performed on this Ayurvedic toothpaste. The in vitro study used a well known anaerobic biofilm model. In the in vivo clinical studies, diabetic subjects were evaluated for plaque and gingivitis using classical methods. The subjects were also evaluated using traditional Ayurvedic endpoints, namely (gum bleeding), (inflammation), and (sponginess of gums).The results of these evaluations demonstrate that the Ayurvedic toothpaste has antibacterial efficacy against anaerobic bacteria. Its use by diabetic subjects resulted in a reduction in plaque and gingival indices in two separate studies lasting up to 6 months. In addition, there was an improvement in the Ayurvedic endpoints in these clinical studies as well. This study demonstrates that an Ayurvedic toothpaste has a positive oral health benefit in diabetic subjects who suffer from gingivitis.The research reported within demonstrates that this Ayurvedic toothpaste has a positive oral health benefit in diabetic subjects who suffer from gingivitis. It has also shown effectiveness against anaerobic bacteria that are responsible for periodontal infections.