Oral Health and Dental Management

Abstract

Relevance of the Phytochemicals in Aloe vera Barbadensis Miller (ABM) as Adjuvant Medicament in the Treatment of Acute Pulpitis

Uche Mgbeokwere, Chidozie Onwuka

The gold standard treatment for carious teeth with symptomatic pulps is root canal therapy. Conservation treatment with permanent restorative materials and adjuvant lining medicaments are also often performed but this may be associated with a high incidence of recurring symptoms. In favour of root canal treatment protocol was the theory that increased pulpal pressure from inflammatory reaction causes strangulation of the apical vessels in the root because the tooth provides a rigid closed system. Nevertheless, this theory has been disproved by further experimental research findings. Furthermore, mechanical cleaning and sanitisation of the canals with chemical solutions was thought to effect a complete elimination of the virulent micro-organisms in the pulp-canals but current findings show that this technique does not fully accomplish this task. This is because some virulent microbes especially anaerobes have been found active in the root canals despite the oxygen-free environment. In addition, some other virulent microbes such as the gram negatives have been found quiescent in the canal-delta and they give problems in later years. These shortcomings and limitations in root canal treatment diminish its avowed value and this therefore, demands remedial techniques that will overcome the challenges. The phytochemicals in Aloe vera Barbadensis Miller (ABM) which we have tried in our practice as adjuvant Medicaments were found satisfactory and promising.