Evaluation of Irimedadi Taila as an adjunctive in treating plaque-induced gingivitis

Ayurvedic drugs have been used since ancient times to treat diseases including periodontal diseases. Oral rinses made from ayurvedic medicines are used in periodontal therapy to control bleeding and reduce inflammation. To evaluate the efficacy of herbal preparation (Irimedadi taila) on reduction of plaque induced gingivitis. A total of 100 volunteers with clinical signs of mild to moderate gingivitis were selected and assigned to Group A (only scaling done) and Group B (scaling along with the use of Irimedadi taila). After recording the clinical parameters, the patients were instructed to use 2–3 drops of Irimedadi taila and gently massage the gums twice daily in Group B and oral hygiene instructions were given to all patients. Plaque and gingivitis assessment were carried out using the plaque index (Silness and Loe, 1964), Gingival index (Loe and Silness, 1963), and modified sulcular bleeding index (Mombelli et al.) at baseline and at 21 days post treatment. Statistically analysis was carried out using the student's paired t test for intra group comparison and unpaired t test for inter group comparison. Results showed that Irimedadi taila is effective in reducing gingival index and gingival bleeding index scores in comparison to scaling alone and the values are statistically significant with p < 0.0001. Irimedadi taila is effective in treatment of plaque induced gingivitis and can be effectively used as an adjunct to mechanical therapy.