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According to researchers, a cost-effective mouthwash, prepared with the herb triphala, can be as effective as the commercially available chlorhexidine in preventing dental caries. The researchers conducted a study on 1,431 students in the age-group of 8-12 years having the same socio-economic status and oral hygiene practices.
Dentist Neeti Bajaj from Haryana-based PDM Dental College and Research Institute and Dr. Shobha Tandon, from Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Karnataka had divided the students in three groups for the study purpose. One of the groups was given triphala mouthwash, the other one was instructed to rinse their mouth with chorohexidine while the third group was given distilled water for the purpose for nine months.
On studying their oral health, the authors found that triphala and chlorhexidine had similar inhibitory effect on plaque, gingivitis, and growth of streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus. However as expected, distilled water did not help in significant reduction in the Streptococcus mutans counts, it was found.
The authors concluded that Ayurveda-based regimens such as triphala mouthwash can replace chlorhexidine as cost-effective preventive strategies in the country particularly in rural areas where a large number of people suffer from dental caries which can be cured with mouth rinsing. However, the researchers note that more scientific work needs to be carried out to prove the efficacy of triphala which in Ayurveda is known as one of the best herbal remedy.
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