Is triphala a natural alternative to chlorhexidine mouthwash

“Triphala” is among the most common formulas used in Traditional Ayurvedic Medicine. This preparation is composed of three equal proportion of herbal fruits: Terminalia chebula, Phyllanthusemblica, and Terminalia belerica.Triphala has been proven to have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal actions. It is also said to possess antihistamine, anti inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, blood pressure lowering, cholesterol lowering, digestive, diuretic, and laxative properties. Chlorhexidine, a cationic bisbiguanide with a very broad antimicrobial spectrum is the most widely used over the counter mouth rinse. The major advantage of chlorhexidine over most other compounds lies in its substantivity. However; chlorhexidine has several side effects, such as Staining and taste alteration, which limit its long term use. Therefore, chlorhexidine is used as a positive control in many clinical trials of new mouth rinse formulations and is considered the gold standard. The aim of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of triphala and chlorhexidine mouth rinse against dental plaque, gingival inflammation, and microbial growth.