Abstract
Background: The high dental disease burden in developing countries has created a need to explore and develop cheap and accessible methods of dental disease prevention. Traditional toothbrushes (chewing-sticks) prepared from specific plants have been used for dental hygiene for generations. When properly used, chewing-sticks may be as effective as synthetic toothbrushes. This study set out to describe traditional chewing-stick practices in a Ugandan rural community, and evaluate the antibacterial activity of two most commonly used plants. Methods: Interviews were done to identify chewing-stick plants and obtain socio-cultural information relating to the practice in two villages in rural Uganda. Field walks were done to pick and voucher the plants, for taxonomical identification and storage. For the two most reported plants, aqueous extracts were prepared and tested for antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans using the agar-well diffusion method. Results: Of the 21 key informants interviewed, all were using or had used chewing-sticks in the past. A total of eight plants were identified as sources of chewing-sticks, with Rhus vulgaris and Lantana trifolia most commonly mentioned. Chewing-sticks were preferred over synthetic tooth brushes because they were less likely to traumatize the gums. Their use has been limited of recent due to scarcity of some plants. R. vulgaris and L. trifolia aqueous extracts showed antibacterial activity against S. mutans with mean diameters of inhibition of 24.33 ± 0.58 and 14.17 ± 0.29 mm on Blood agar respectively, compared to benzyl penicillin control 30.67 ± 0.29 mm. Conclusion: R. vulgaris and L. trifolia are the most common sources of chewing-sticks for cleaning teeth in this community. The plants contain compounds that are active against S. mutans. These plants merit further studies as they are possible sources of cheap dental health care for the rural poor.
Highlights
Dental diseases pose a high burden to populations in developing countries mainly due to persistent poverty, ignorance, and resource constraints that have hindered effective health education and delivery of healthcare (Petersen et al, 2005)
Chewing-stick practices in a Ugandan rural community approached for permission to enter their areas of jurisdiction
Plants identified as sources of chewing-sticks During the interviews, a total of eight plants were identified as sources of chewing-sticks
Summary
Dental diseases pose a high burden to populations in developing countries mainly due to persistent poverty, ignorance, and resource constraints that have hindered effective health education and delivery of healthcare (Petersen et al, 2005). Services are often too costly, scarce, or totally absent, especially in the rural areas of the country This situation presents a need to explore, develop, and promote the use of locally available and accessible methods of dental disease prevention. This study, based on a rural community in Uganda was aimed at exploring and documenting socio-cultural aspects relating to the practice, identification of the plants used and evaluating the anti-streptococcal activity of aqueous extracts from the two most commonly used plants. This study set out to describe traditional chewing-stick practices in a Ugandan rural community, and evaluate the antibacterial activity of two most commonly used plants. The plants contain compounds that are active against S. mutans These plants merit further studies as they are possible sources of cheap dental health care for the rural poor
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