Traditional dentistry knowledge among Serbs in several Balkan countries.

Area of Science:

• Ethnomedicine
• Traditional Medicine
• Oral Health

Background:

• Unveiling traditional dental medicine practices among Serbs.
• Investigating treatments for oral and orofacial tissues.
• Exploring associated magic and religious elements.

Purpose of the Study:

• Document traditional Serbian dental medicine.
• Identify medicinal plants and their applications.
• Assess the efficacy of traditional oral care methods.

Main Methods:

• Data collection via questionnaires and interviews with folk dentists and herbalists.
• Inclusion of input from local physicians and dentists.
• Analysis of 1038 inquiry sheets yielding over 41,000 data points.

Main Results:

• Identified 84 herbal prescriptions from 67 plant species for various oral conditions.
• Predominant use of herbal remedies for toothache, gum disease, and mouth ulcers.
• Majority of traditional treatments were beneficial herbal medicine, with limited magical practices.

Conclusions:

• Traditional Serbian dental medicine relies heavily on herbal remedies.
• Many plant-derived active ingredients remain unutilized in modern dentistry.
• Further investigation of these plants is crucial for developing new dental pharmaceuticals.