An ounce of prevention is said to be worth a pound of cure. This is thought to be particularly true in the case of dental cavities, a common disorder second only to the common cold in widespread occurrence. Cavities are caused by bacteria normally present in our mouthes that convert the food we eat into acid. The acid combines with bacteria and food debris and turns into plaque, which in turn dissolves tooth enamel, resulting in cavities.
Since they are considered more preventable than curable, the standard "treatment" for cavities is a trip to the dentist for a filling or a crown. However, some traditional herbal remedies for dental cavities have shown promise in laboratory tests.
Meswak (Middle Eastern Tree Bark)
Long before we had the toothbrush, the bark of the meswak (Salvadore persica) tree was used for dental hygiene by the people of the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. Its astringent and anti-bacterial properties were thought to fight plaque, gum disease and tooth decay. In a 2009 study, "Effect of Meswak (Middle Eastern Tree Bark) on Oral Pathogens and Potential for Probiotic Applications," published in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" and carried out by Nayra Mehanna of the National Research Center, Cairo, and Gregor Reid of the University of Western Ontario, Canada, meswak was shown to have a strong inhibitory effect on Streptococcus mutans, the organism most directly linked to dental cavities.
Oregano
Can eating pizza help prevent dental cavities? Probably not, but carvacrol, a phenolic compound found in oregano may. In a study published in the May 2008 edition of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," carvacrol exhibited potent antimicrobial properties. Herbalists often prescribe an oregano oil gargle to freshen breath and fight gum and tooth decay. However, while oregano is considered generally safe in the kitchen, the oil of oregano has not yet been approved for therapeutic use by the FDA.
Neem
Neem (Azadirachta indica) has been used in India for over 2000 years for a range of bacterial and viral infections. It has been credited with being the single most important element in dental health in large parts of South Asia that have limited access to modern dentistry. Brushing with neem sticks or chewing the leaves or seeds is still standard practice in parts of India for destroying cavity-causing bacteria and building immunity against oral infections. A 1996 study published in the "Journal of Dental Research" suggested that neem sticks can inhibit the aggregation of some bacteria and thereby retard plaque formation. Safety evaluation studies are being done on the seeds, leaf, bark and oil of the neem plant.
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