Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), an Indian herb also known as holy basil, has been proven effective in studies in reducing stress, lowering blood sugar and healing wounds. Now, research from India’s Rishiraj College of Dental Sciences has found that tulsi essential oil, used as a disinfectant, significantly reduced infection levels following root canals of primary molars in a study of 40 children. Although a triple antibiotic cream had better antibiotic properties, the researchers recommended tulsi for longstanding infections and to avoid antibiotic reactions and overuse.

This article appears in the February 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.