Use of natural remedies to treat oral diseases among female patients in Al Madinah, western Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background The study aimed to investigate natural remedies use (NRU) for oral diseases among female patients. Methods Dental patients attending the female section of Taibah University Dental Hospital were invited to complete an online questionnaire which explored demographic data, and pattern of NRU for oral diseases. Results A total of 540 patients participated in the survey. A total of 232 patients (43%) used natural remedies to treat oral diseases. The most commonly cited reasons for NRU were financial reasons (n=79, 34.1%). The practice had a statistically significant association with older participants (p=0.003), and those working as employees (p=0.031). Most of the natural remedies used (n=17) were herbal, with cloves (71.1%) and miswak (26.7%) being the most frequently reported. Acute dental pain (n=157, 67.7%) and halitosis (n= 51, 22%) were the most frequently cited oral conditions associated with NRU. A percentage of 87.1% of patients using natural remedies (n=202) perceived improvement of symptoms upon use of natural remedies, however, 2.2% (n=5) reported complications. Conclusions Substantial proportion of patients use natural remedies to treat their oral disease. Patients were mostly satisfied with natural remedies in terms of effectiveness and lack of complications.

Phytotherapy in Dentistry: A Literature Review Based on Clinical Data

“…Buchenavia tomentosa and Chrysobalanus icaco, natural plants from central Brazil, showed promising antifungal activity for Candida albicans, reducing its ability to form biofilms, hyphae and adhere to oral epithelial cells [23,35,36]. Just like cloves, used since antiquity to relieve dental pain and to treat oral candidiasis and herpes infections [8].…”

“…Regarding the feeling of dry mouth and halitosis, the study by Dar-Odeh et al [8] reported the use of olive oil for dry mouth and halitosis and tahini (sesame paste) for dry mouth and oral ulcers. Veloso et al reported that pomegranate and jucá (Libidibiaferrea) can potentially combat microorganisms related to halitosis, as the studied extracts inhibited oral microorganisms that produce volatile sulfur compounds [25].…”

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommended and encouraged using plants as a tool for oral hygiene [7]. However, the role of herbal drugs in controlling oral changes is still undervalued when compared to other diseases, such as skin diseases [8]. Thus, this study is a narrative review that aimed scientific support about herbal medicines usage in dentistry for clinical application, reinforcing the potential of phytotherapics to treat oral disorders and the need for new studies on the topic.…”

Ethnicity is a major determinant of the pattern of dermatological diseases among pilgrims during the <em>Hajj</em> in 2019

“…7 It is important to highlight the importance of taking a thorough medical history from patients regarding the history of allergies and to exclude a positive history of food or drug allergy before prescribing any medications particularly antibiotics and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. 17 …”

Association of Dental Caries, Retained Roots, and Missing Teeth with Physical Status, Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in Women of the Reproductive Age

“…It is well-established now that many of these women are basically immigrants and have a language barrier complicated by low education, causing many of them to be illiterate in Arabic and/or English, and hence incapable of communicating or relaying their fears and expectations to their care givers [10]. They may also have financial barriers [17] and transportation problems [2], making access to healthcare limited and jeopardized. The findings of this study confirm the high prevalence of dental caries, as 86–89% (according to the age group) of women had carious teeth.…”