TY - JOUR T1 - Beneficial effects of specific natural substances on oral health JF - Saudi Medical Journal JO - Saudi Med J SP - 1181 LP - 1189 DO - 10.15537/smj.2017.12.20516 VL - 38 IS - 12 AU - Sameer Shaikh AU - S. Manoj Kumar Y1 - 2017/12/01 UR - http://smj.org.sa/content/38/12/1181.abstract N2 - Substances that are consumed daily or occasionally may influence an individual’s oral health. Some substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, and areca nut, adversely affect the oral region. However, some other substances, such as honey and green tea, which have antimicrobial properties, and berries, which have anticarcinogenic potential, exhibit beneficial effects on oral health. The effectiveness of synthetic drugs in maintaining oral health cannot be ignored; however, the benefits of synthetic drugs are associated with adverse effects and high costs. By contrast, the medicinal use of natural substances is associated with safety, affordability, and long-term benefits. In this paper, we review various natural substances that are potentially beneficial to oral health. ER -