1School of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi National Institute of Research and Social Action (M.G.N.I.R.S.A), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
2Alluri Seetharama Raju Centre for Tribal Studies, Mahatma Gandhi National Institute of Research and Social Action (M.G.N.I.R.S.A), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: prasanthmanupati@gmail.com
**Address for correspondence: Manupati Prasanth, School of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi National Institute of Research and Social Action (M.G.N.I.R.S.A), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Online published on 29 May, 2014.
Oral care is an important component of personal hygiene. Meticulous plaque control, on a daily basis with toothbrush, is the most important step to achieve good oral health. Available dental-care measures have not been inadequate to deal with this problem. Consequently, incorporation of herbal extracts in the formulation of toothpastes is becoming a popular mode of plaque control. On the backdrop of this scenario, the present study is designed to evaluate antimicrobial properties and effect of six toothpastes claiming herbal ingradiants by using agar well diffusion method and to determine their suitability for regular usage. Six herbal dentifrices are tested for their anti-microbial activity against three oral pathogens, namely, Streptococcus mutans (MTCC 890), Lactobacillus acidophilus (MTCC *447) and Candida albicans (MTCC 854) by well agar diffusion assay. Anti-caries evaluation shows that herbal based dentifrice formulation A displayed the maximum zones of inhibition against all the organisms tested (p<0.05) as compared to all other dentifrice formulations. Hence, dentifrice formulation A has significant antimicrobial activity; and thus can be employed as an effective anti-plaque agent in the prevention of dental caries. The findings from this study may be of use to dental professionals.
Anti-microbial activity, Dental caries, Herbal based dentifrices, Zone of inhibition, Well agar diffusion assay
