Herbal supplements. Any relevancy to dental practice?

The increasing popularity of herbal supplements demands that dentists be more knowledgeable about the effects these supplements have on oral health and treatments. Based on the medical literature, at least some of the popular products appear to have the potential to elicit oral manifestations and adverse interactions with dental drugs. These effects seem to be associated primarily with antiplatelet, sedative and hepatotoxic properties of the herbs. An understanding of the effects of herbal supplements would allow dentists to provide improved dental care and to educate patients taking these products.