New Perspectives about Relevant Natural Compounds for Current Dentistry Research

Abstract

Natural compounds have been used since the earliest civilizations and remain, to this day, a safer alternative for treating various dental problems. These present antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, and antimutagenic effects, making them useful in the prophylactic and curative treatment of various oral diseases such as infections, gingivitis, periodontitis, and even cancer. Due to the high incidence of unpleasant adverse reactions to synthetic compounds, natural products tend to gradually replace conventional treatment, as they can be just as potent and cause fewer, milder adverse effects. Researchers use several methods to measure the effectiveness and safety profile of these compounds, and employing standard techniques also contributes to progress across all medical disciplines.

Keywords: allicin; assay; curcumin; dentistry; eugenol; methods; natural compounds; oral health; quercetin; rosmarinic acid.

Figure 1

Molecular structure of curcumin.

Figure 2

Molecular structure of quercetin.

Figure 3

Molecular structure of allicin.

Figure 4

Molecular structure of rosmarinic acid.

Figure 5

Molecular structure of eugenol.