A critical review on Krimidanta in Shalakya Tantra

Abstract

Krimidanta is one of the most common dental problems in today’s world. In ancient texts one could find a vast description of Krimidanta, it’s included mainly in Dantagata Rogas. Importance of Krimidanta can be understood by the fact that Acharya Vagbhatta has mentioned about Krimidanta in there ten Dantarogas, Acharya Sushrutha, Acharya Bhavaprakash, Acharya Yogratnakar have mentioned about Krimidanta in there eight Dantarogas, while Acharya Harita has mentioned about Krimidanta in five Dantarogas. On the basis of the clinical features mentioned by Acharyas, Krimidanta can be compared to dental caries. Where dental represents teeth and the word caries is derived from the latin word meanings rot or decay.^[1] Dental caries is irreversible microbial disease of the calcified tissues of the teeth, leading to destruction of dentine, enamel and cementum, and ultimately tooth decay.^[2] Dental caries can occur throughout life, both in primary and permanent dentitions, and can damage the tooth crown and in later life expose tooth surfaces. Modern science has provided many remedies for the treatment of dental caries or Krimidanta but besides been expensive these remedies cause harmful effects which are better termed as side effects. Scientific researches confirm it, as according to a recent research, daily use of fluoride tooth paste is seen as the main reason for the overall decline of dental caries worldwide over recent decades.^[3] Thus Ayurvedic line of treatment becomes the mode of choice in case of Krimidanta as the treatment is natural and there is no recurrence.