Abstract

S. Muhammad* and M. T. Lawal

Good oral hygiene is necessary for the healthy teeth, gum and fresh breath. A number of methods are used in oral hygiene to prevent and cure oral diseases. It is of importance to look at the roles plants play in oral hygiene as a number of them have medicinal properties. When compared to toothpaste, mouthwashes, denitrifies etc. plants used for oral hygiene stands out. In many African homes, teeth are cleaned in the morning by chewing the root or slim stem of certain plants until they acquire brush-like ends. The Babylonians recorded the use of chewing sticks in 7000 BC and its use ultimately spread throughout the Greek and Roman Empires, it is also used by Egyptians, Jews and in the Islamic Empires. It is believed that the counterpart of the modern day toothbrush was unknown in Europe until about 300 years ago. Presently, chewing sticks is being used in Africa, South America, the Middle East and Asia. The present review looked at the various traditional oral hygiene methods with their medical implications.