Introduction to Kampo medicine for dental treatment — Oral pharmacotherapy that utilizes the advantages of Western and Kampo medicines

Kampo medicine is a medical system that has been systematically organized based on the reactions of the human body. At present, in Western, herbal medicines means the whole herbal product. It is being called Kampo medicine as a medicinal drug in Japan. Since 2012, the “National Health Insurance Drug Price Standards Related to Dental Treatment” published by the Japan Dental Association have included seven Kampo formulations. In 2015, the Japan Dental Association sent a “Kampo Education Plan for Dentistry” to all dental universities in Japan. Furthermore, the Japanese Society of Oral Therapeutics and Pharmacology compiled a summary of “Evidence for Kampo Treatment in the Field of Oral Surgery.” In addition, the phrase “including wakan-yaku” was included in the draft core model curriculum for dental education in 2016. Thus, Kampo medicine is expected to rapidly spread to the field of dental care and dental medical education. Therefore, the training of dentists with knowledge of both Western and Oriental medicine is required for the treatment of oral pain, periodontal disease, stomatitis, xerostomia, and other complaints concerning oral health. It is our hope that this paper provides a footing for dentists who wish to learn about Kampo medicine and incorporate it into clinical practice.