ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF SELECTED DENTIFRICES AGAINST STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES

Abstract

Different formulations of dentifrices (toothpaste and mouthwashes) have been produced and are used to

maintain oral hygiene. This study was carried out to determine the in-vitro antibacterial activity of seven

brands of commercial dentifrices (A-G) against Streptococcus pyogenes. The dentifrices consisted of five

toothpastes and two mouthwashes. The agar well diffusion method was used to determine the zones of

inhibition caused by each dentifrice at five different dilutions against S. pyogenes. The results showed that the

zones of inhibition (mm) of the dentifrices at 1:1 dilution ranged from 26±0.00 to15.67±0.33, 1:2 dilution from

24.50±0.288 to 12.00±0.00, 1:4 dilution was from 22.17±0.167 to 9.17±0.73, 1:8 dilution was 20.00±0.000 to

9.33±0.167 and 1:16 dilution was 17.00± to 0.00±0.000. Among the toothpastes, the 1:1 dilution of D, showed

the highest zone of inhibition (24.00±0.00). Among the mouthwashes, F showed the largest zone of inhibition

(26.00 ±0.000).

The common active ingredient found in the toothpaste brands was sodium fluoride in various formulations.

Only toothpaste C did not contain sodium fluoride, yet possessed antibacterial activity. Another study also

demonstrated a positive biological activity of toothpaste that contain propolis, hence, indicating that propolis

can be added to toothpastes as a natural additive to mouthwashes (Morawiec et al., 2013). This research has

demonstrated that toothpastes with or without sodium fluoride formulations can control the growth of

Streptococcus pyogenes in vitro. The mouthwash formulation containing chlorhexidine was more active than

the one without chlorhexidine against S. pyogenes.