Aloe vera herbal dentifrices for plaque and gingivitis control: a systematic review

Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of aloe vera containing herbal dentifrices in improving plaque control and gingival health. Methods A manual and electronic literature (MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) search was performed up to July 2012, for randomized controlled trials presenting clinical, microbiological, immunological, and patient-centered data for the efficacy of aloe vera herbal dentifrices for controlling plaque and gingival inflammation in patients with gingivitis. Results From 79 titles and abstracts, eight full-text articles were screened and finally two randomized controlled trials were selected. These randomized controlled trials reported that aloe vera dentifrices were similar in efficacy to control dentifrices in effectively reducing plaque and gingival inflammation in gingivitis patients based on the assessment of clinical, microbiological, and patient-centered treatment outcomes. However, many important details (composition and characteristics of aloe vera and control dentifrices along with appropriate randomization, blinding, and outcomes assessed) were lacking in these trials, and therefore, the quality of reporting and methods was generally flawed with high risk of bias. Conclusion Even though there are some promising results, the clinical effectiveness of aloe vera herbal dentifrices is not sufficiently defined at present and warrants further investigations based on reporting guidelines of herbal CONSORT statement.