Effect of A Natural Extract Toothpaste on the Bacteria Colonies of Initial Dental Plaque Colonizers

Abstract

To determine the effect of a natural extract toothpaste Parodontax® on the numbers of initial dental plaque colonizers. Methods: AQuasi- clinical trial type of study was conducted on 48 participants (age between 18 and 30 years). The study participants were students attending a technical training institute in Nairobi County, Kenya.Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacilli and Staphylococcus aureus were the three microorganisms chosen for culture and study. All visible supragingival dental plaque was collected using sterile swabs at baseline and at the end of three weeks. The plaque samples were then cultured and the colony forming units of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacilli and Staphylococcus aureus were calculated before and after commercially available Parodontax® use. The plaque index of Silness and Loe (1964) was used to determine oral health status while the gingival index (Loe and Silness, 1963) was used to determine gingival health. Results: There was a reduction in the mean gingival index from 1.10 ± 0.47 beforeParodontax® use to 0.58 ± 0.37 after Parodontax® use. Average plaque score before Parodontax® use was 1.33± 0.58and 0.68 ± 0.37 afteruse. Use of natural extract toothpaste was found to reduce the colony forming units of Streptococcus mutans by49.14 ± 14.24, Lactobacilli by 31.40 ± 23.76,while that of Staphylococcus aureus reduced by 3.82 ± 12.97. Conclusion: Within the limits of this study, a natural extract toothpaste, Parodontax® significantly reduced the colony forming units of the initial dental plaque colonizers. Gingival index was found to decrease with the reduction of the colony forming units of the early dental plaque colonizers suggesting a possible link between the two