Part two: Empirical rationale for teeth cleaning plant selection¹

This study was supported in part by the National Geographic Society Grant No. 1449.

Abstract

Various types of ethnobotanical surveys have served to identify those plants throughout the world that are important in teeth cleaning. The empirical selection of several cultures has indicated that many of these species are selected because of the good dental hygiene they promote and other medicinal properties they possess. When pharmacological studies have been correlated with these data, many have been shown to possess substances of an antibiotic, analgesic, anticariogenic, or otherwise healing nature. Preliminary results from clinical trials with several chewing‐stick extract dentifrices are showing that the development of more efficacious and healing toothpastes from these sources is possible.

Notes

This study was supported in part by the National Geographic Society Grant No. 1449.