AN ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE PEDIATRIC DENTAL HERBAL DENTIFRICES AGAINST STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS AND LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS:

AN INVITRO STUDY

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of different dentifrices and to study the variations in their effectiveness against the test microorganisms.
Materials and methods: The study groups were divided based on the compound present in these dentifrices: (I) Calcium sucrose phosphate (II)Sorbitol (III)Maltitol (IV)Fennel (V) positive control (VI) negative control. The antimicrobial efficacy of one herbal and three commercially available toothpastes with different ingredients were evaluated against S. mutans and L. acidophilus by the zone of inhibition on the culture plates were measured.

Results: The data reflected differential response by the bacteria to the dentifrices. The size of the zone of inhibition against S. mutans were in order: positive control >Calcium sucrose phosphate= Sorbitol > Maltitol > Fennel > negative control. L. acidophilus response showed the order: positive control > Calcium sucrose phosphate= sorbitol > Maltitol > Fennel = negative control.

Conclusion: The results of this study have revealed the differences in the antimicrobial efficacy of different dentifrices. It has been demonstrated that Calcium sucrose phosphate-containing dentifrice formulations are more effective in the control of oral microflora.