Background: Dental plaque is a soft, non- mineralised, microbial biofilm that consists of complex communities of bacterial species that reside on tooth surfaces or soft tissues. It accumulates on and adheres to teeth, dental restorations and artificial appliances in the mouth. the present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of Herbal tooth paste in controlling dental plaque, gingival bleeding and periodontal diseases. Materials & Methods: This study was conducted in the department of periodontics in 2014. It comprised of 120 patients having periodontal diseases. Plaque index was scored on all four surfaces (buccal, lingual, mesical, and distal) of six representative teeth (16, 12, 24, 44, 32, 36). The mean index was calculated by dividing the sum of number from scale by the total number of sites scored within the mouth. Bleeding index was measured by guiding probe through the gingival sulcus in the first and third quadrants from the buccal aspect and in the second and fourth quadrant from the oral aspect. Gingival index was scored on the buccal marginal gingiva of the Ramfjord teeth. By summing the individual GBI scores and dividing that sum by the number of sites graded for each subject. All the indices will be evaluated using a visual analogue score of 0-3. The score for the assessment will be nil - 0, mild - 1, moderate - 2, and severe - 3. Results thus obtained were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis using chi square test. P value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 120 patients, 50 were males and 70 were females. The difference was non significant (P<0.05). The plaque index was 1.60, 1.52, 1.02 and 0.62 at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. There was significantly reduction in plaque index from baseline to 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks (P <0.05).  The gingival index was 2.52, 1.42, 0.86 and 0.52 at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. There was significant reduction in gingival index from baseline to 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks (p <0.05). The bleeding index was 2.14, 2.0, 1.46 and 0.84 at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. There was significant reduction in gingival index from baseline to 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks (p <0.05). Conclusion: Herbal tooth paste found effective in treating gingivitis and periodontitis. There was no side effect reported with the formulation. Hence it can be used as an adjunct in periodontal therapy.
Key words: bleeding, Herbal tooth paste, periodontal diseases.

Corresponding author: Dr. Jasjit Kaur Sahota, Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontics, Maharaja Ganga Singh Dental College and Research Center, Sri-Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India

This article may be cited as: Sahota JK. Efficacy of herbal tooth paste in controlling dental plaque, gingival bleeding and periodontal disease: A clinical study. Int J Res Health Allied Sci 2016;3(1):26-28.