Use of phytotherapy medicines as anti-inflammatory option in dentistry

Abstract

The term phytotherapy comes from the Latin, "phyton" which means plant, and "therapy" related to treatment, whose first handwritten account in 1500 BC entitled "Papers of Ebers". Phytotherapy is the science that uses plants for the treatment of various human diseases. In Brazil, studies show an interest of the Unified Health System (SUS) regarding herbal medicines between the 70s and 80s, mainly in primary health care due to the cost reduction, however few observational studies are found in the literature regarding their use in the system. The present study is a literature review in order to report the main herbal medicines with anti-inflammatory action, as a therapeutic option for patients who cannot or do not wish to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). For its construction, a search was performed for articles in the PubMed, Scielo and BVSalud databases, with a timeline established from 2009 to 2020. It was concluded that herbal medicines can be used as a safe therapeutic alternative in replacement of NSAIDs, as it offers a similar mechanism of action and reduced or even zero side effects. Thus, it can become a reality in dental practice by Dental Surgeons.