Salivary Streptococcus Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Salivary Streptococcus Mutans Count Before and After Probiotic Intervention in Multi-bracket Fixed Orthodontic Patient Group-an In-vivo Study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The study aims to investigate the effect of regular probiotic toothpaste on salivary Streptococcus mutans in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. METHOD: 21 Patients prescribed fixed orthodontic therapy were selected for the study. Unstimulated saliva was collected from each patient in the study at four points of time: 1) T0 - Before bonding stainless-steel multi-brackets. 2) T1 -12 weeks after fixed orthodontic treatment (Colgate TM toothpaste). 3) T2 - 12 weeks after probiotic toothpaste intervention. 4) T3 - 12 weeks after Colgate TM toothpaste usage. At each time point, salivary Streptococcus mutans colonies and salivary pH were noted. RESULTS: The findings showed an increase in the number of salivary Streptococcus mutans count from T0-T1, T1-T2, & T2-T3. There was a decrease in the salivary pH from T0-T3. There was a significant negative correlation between the number of salivary Streptococcus mutans colonies count and pH at all 4 time points. The higher the colony count, the lower the pH. Further, the correlation was strongest at T3, followed by T2, T1, and T0. CONCLUSION: The usage of probiotics had a significant effect neither on Streptococcus mutans nor on pH. Further, probiotics failed to maintain their impact following the stopping of their usage.

Effect of adiposity status on salivary Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus.

To investigate the effect of adiposity status, salivary physicochemical parameters, and inflammatory biomarkers on the salivary abundance of the two main cariogenic bacteria Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus among Hong Kong adolescents. This study included 180 adolescents aged 12-15 years from Hong Kong local secondary schools. Anthropometric measurements and oral health examinations were performed. Saliva samples were collected to measure salivary physicochemical parameters, protein biomarker levels, and salivary abundance of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, and total bacteria. Adolescents with general overweight/obesity or central obesity had significantly higher salivary Streptococcus mutans abundance and total bacterial load, lower stimulated salivary flow rate, and lower secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA levels than the lean controls. Adolescents with general overweight/obesity (OR = 3.33; 95% CI: 1.28-8.65) and those with central obesity (OR = 2.47; 95% CI: 1.02-6.00) had a significantly higher chance of having high salivary abundance of Streptococcus mutans than the lean controls after adjusting for confounders, with a similar detection rate of salivary Streptococcus sobrinus. General overweight or obesity and central obesity were associated with a high salivary abundance of Streptococcus mutans but had no significant effect on salivary Streptococcus sobrinus.

EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF 38% SDF VS 5% NAF VS APF GEL IN ARRESTING DENTAL CARIES AND REDUCING BACTERIAL ACTIVITY: AN IN-VIVO STUDY

Background: The study was formulated to compare the efficacy of 38% SDF as a caries arresting agent as well as antibacterial and antiplaque agent in vivo with 5% sodium fluoride varnish (NaF) and 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel. Study Design: Total of 74 children aged 6-9 years (boys = 34, girls = 40) who had active caries with dmfs/DMFS score equal to or more than 1 were included in the study for a period of 12 months. Children were divided into three different groups-Group 1: 38%SDF Group 2: 5% fluoride varnish and Group 3: 1.23% APF gel. Fluoride application was done at baseline, 6th month and 12th month. Saliva collection was done at baseline, after 72 hrs, 6th month and12thmonth.Tryptone-yeastcysteine-sucrose-bacitracin agar (TYCSB) was used inoculate salivary Streptococcus mutans and incubated at 37°C for 72 hrs.The colony characteristics were studied and number of colony forming units of Streptococcus mutans (CFU/ml) of saliva were counted using digital colony counter.All subjects were evaluated for caries arrest status and plaque score (Silness&Loe index)at 6th and 12thmonthas well as Streptococcus mutans counts in saliva at 72 h, 6th and 12thmonth. Results: Significant reduction was found in caries arrest status plaque score as well as S. mutans counts in Group 1 as compared with Groups 2 and 3. Conclusion: In vivo application of SDF is effective in controlling progression of caries, decreases plaque score and S. mutans counts in saliva as compared to fluoride varnish and APF gel.

Colloidal chitosan-silver nanoparticles-fluoride nanocomposite as an antibacterial mouthwash against salivary Streptococcus mutans in orthodontic patients (a randomized clinical trial).

This study aimed to synthesize and characterize colloidal chitosan-silver nanoparticles-fluoride nanocomposite (CCAgNPF) and evaluate its efficacy compared to chlorhexidine on salivary Streptococcus mutans in orthodontic patients. AgNPs stabilized with chitosan were synthesized by chemical reduction of AgNO3. The nanoparticles were characterized with SEM, FTIR, DLS and ICP-OES. The MIC and MBC against S. mutans and IC50 concentration of CCAgNPF were obtained for antibacterial and cytotoxicity evaluations, respectively. For the clinical study, a total of 45 orthodontic patients were divided into three groups of 15 and used the following mouthwashestwice a day for 1 month: CCAgNPF, chlorhexidine 0.2% and the combination of these mouthwashes. The colony count of salivary S. mutans was evaluated before and after using the mouthwashes. The data were analyzed using One-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. Stabilized AgNPs were spherical with a diameter of 25.3 ± 3.3 nm. The MIC, MBC and IC50 of CCAgNPF were 4.42, 8.85 and 18.89 µg/ml. All mouthwashes reduced the salivary S. mutans of the orthodontic patients, however, no significant difference was found between the efficacy of CCAgNPF and chlorhexidine (P-value > 0.05). The best results were achieved by the combination of CCAgNPF and chlorhexidine mouthwashes (P-value < 0.05). The CCAgNPF and its combination with chlorhexidine present potent bactericidal, biocompatible and effective anti-carious mouthwashes for orthodontic patients. This study proved CCAgNPF as an antibacterial mouthwash with lower cytotoxicity and side effects for patients undergoing orthodontic treatments to maintain oral hygiene and reduce salivary S. mutans.

Oral Health and Caries Prevention: How Tongue Hygiene Helps Maintain Balance of Microbiota and Overall Health in Pediatric Patients.

The tongue harbors about two-thirds of the microorganisms present in the mouth; the stable bacterial population consists mainly of aerobic and facultative anaerobic streptococci. These bacterial colonies, found more frequently on the tongue than on the outside of the hard part of the dental enamel in children younger than 18 months, suggest that the tongue is a potential bacterial reservoir. The aim of this review is to examine the scientific literature to clarify whether the mechanical removal of bacterial biofilm on the tongue can have a positive effect on caries prevention, with the reduction in colony-forming unit (CFU) of salivary streptococcus and the whole-mouth plaque index (FMPS). An open literature search was conducted by using PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. The most studied age range was 9 to 12 years, with groups of children with no caries and groups with a minimum number of two teeth that were reconstructed, decayed and/or missing (DMFS/dmfs > 2) who experienced different tongue hygiene methods for the first time. Four randomized trials met the search criteria and were included in this review. The results obtained suggest that specific tongue hygiene protocols, combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, could be considered the gold standard to enable more effective primary prevention and improve the health of pediatric patients. This review improves the understanding of the impact of tongue hygiene in controlling the bacteria responsible for the onset of carious disease and its systemic correlates; however, further research with more data is needed to further confirm the findings of this research.

Effect of oil pulling on the Streptococcus mutans concentation in plaque around orthodontic brackets -A prospective clinical study.

Fixed orthodontic appliances create areas of plaque stagnation leading to an increase in the volume, structure, and composition of plaque. This increases the chances of decalcification and white spot lesions. Oil pulling, an ancient practice involving swishing oil in the mouth, has demonstrated a significant reduction in plaque scores after 45 days, and a reduction in salivary Streptococcus mutans concentration in few studies done in nonorthodontic subjects. The aim was to compare the concentration of S. mutans in plaque around orthodontic brackets in patients using oil pulling with sesame oil and those on routine oral hygiene. Twenty subjects requiring fixed orthodontic treatment were divided into two equal groups: Group A-Oil pulling and Group B-Control. All subjects were instructed to follow common oral hygiene methods and in addition, Group A was instructed to perform oil pulling for 30 days starting 1 month after placement of fixed appliances. Plaque specimens were collected from labial surfaces of maxillary lateral incisors and quantification of S. mutans was done using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mean and standard deviations for descriptive statistics, paired, and unpaired sample t-tests were analyzed. Comparison of S. mutans concentration between T1 and T2 demonstrated a significant difference in both control and study groups. The experimental group showed significantly lesser S. mutans concentration compared to the control group. Oil-pulling therapy with sesame oil resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the concentration of S. mutans in the plaque around orthodontic brackets.

A comparative study of the antimicrobial activity of cacao ethanol extract and chlorhexidine digluconate on salivary Streptococcus mutans

A comparative study of the antimicrobial activity of cacao ethanol extract and chlorhexidine digluconate on salivary Streptococcus mutans

Oral health status of Egyptian children with lysosomal storage diseases: An evaluation of dental indices, salivary cytokines level, and bacterial bioburden.

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), a group of inborn errors of metabolism, include various subtypes, for example, mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) and Gaucher disease (GD). Besides the physical/mental disabilities, they suffer from several oral deteriorations. To evaluate the oral health status of Egyptian children with LSD. Thirty LSD children and thirty non-LSD children were enrolled for this study according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Dental indices were used to assess caries prevalence and periodontal status. Saliva samples were collected from all enrolled children to estimate interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and protein levels as well as Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli colony counts. Children with MPS and GD showed non-significant differences in decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT) scores (p = .115). Scores of dmft showed a significant increase in MPS, but not in GD children (p = .020, p = .127). Children with LSD showed significantly increased Modified Gingival Index (MGI), Plaque Index (PI), Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-s) scores (p < .001) and salivary IL-6 and TNF-α (p = .007, p = .001, p < .0001, p = .002, respectively) and salivary total proteins (p = .001) levels. Unexpectedly, non-significant differences were observed in salivary Streptococcus mutans or Lactobacilli counts in children with MPS and GD (p = .058, p = .420, p = .502, p = .053, respectively). To our knowledge, this is the first article that evaluates Egyptian children with LSD. We demonstrated high caries prevalence in primary teeth, not permanent teeth, in children with MPS and poor gingival/hygiene status in children with MPS and GD, which triggered a state of inflammation. The daily supplement intake prevented oral bacterial growth. The most probable cause of oral alterations is decreased salivary flow rate, as deduced from a significantly increased salivary protein.

Effect of Probiotic Yogurt on Salivary Streptococcus mutans Count in Patients Undergoing Fixed Orthodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Effect of Probiotic Yogurt on Salivary Streptococcus mutans Count in Patients Undergoing Fixed Orthodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Comparative evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of triphala, assa-foetida and 0.2% chlorhexidine mouth rinses on salivary streptococcus mutans

Oral diseases, such as dental caries and periodontal diseases are major worldwide oral health problems. Poor oral health has a profound effect on general health and quality of life. Dental caries is still a major health problem in most industrialized countries, school-aged children and the vast majority of adults. Streptococcus mutans is considered as one of the most important cariogenic species of the human oral microbial flora. Studies have proved the association between S. mutans and dental caries. Traditional Indian system of medicine “Ayurveda” includes several important medicinal herbs, which are used since ancient days. Triphala, which has a wide range of systemic benefits, is one among them. Studies have shown that Triphala has good antimicrobial effects against S. mutans. Ferula assa-foetida (F.assa-foetida), is a large herbaceous perennial plant from the Apiaceae family. The properties of Assa-foetida according to Traditional Persian Medicine resources suggest it is very effective for relieving toothache. Different parts of F. assa-foetida have a wide variety of medicinal applications including antifungal, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and anti-microbial effects. To compare and evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of Triphala, Assa-foetida and 0.2% Chlorhexidine mouth rinses on the salivary Streptococcus mutans level. Saliva samples were collected from children of age group of 5-11 years with a DMFT/def score ≥4 and with minimum of four active caries. Triphala and Asafoetida mouth rinses were prepared indigenously. Samples were plated on the culture media and then smeared on MHA media for assessing the antimicrobial efficacy against Chlorhexidine. The zone of inhibition was measured which showed the resistance against S.mutans. Results were statistically analyzed using one way ANOVA. Significant resistance was noted with asafoetida mouth rinse by measuring the zone of inhibition. Considering the results, Triphala and asafoetida mouth rinses serve as effective herbal mouth rinses for reducing the salivary Streptococcus mutans load and can be considered as an alternative to chemical mouthwash, like Chlorhexidine.

Antibacterial Effect of Mouth Rinsing with a Solution Containing 1.6% Syzygium aromaticum Extract against Streptococcus mutans: An In vivo Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and Objective: Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) extract has antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. The objective was to assess and compare the salivary Streptococcus mutans counts on Mitis Salivarius Bacterium agar plates after 1 h of mouth rinsing with 30 mL solutions containing S. aromaticum and 0.2% chlorhexidine among 18–30-year-old adults in a clinical setting. Methodology: Sixteen participants fulfilling the eligibility criteria were randomized into two groups. Group A: rinsed with 0.16% S. aromaticum extract mouth rinse and Group B: rinsed with 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash. Saliva samples of the participants were collected before and 1 h after mouth rinsing with 30 mL of interventional mouth rinse, for S. mutans count analysis. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA) was used for statistical analysis. The significance level was fixed at P &lt; 0.05. Intra and Intergroup comparison of microbial counts was done using the Wilcoxon signed–rank test and Mann–Whitney U-test, respectively. Results: The results of the study showed that there was a significant reduction in salivary S. mutans counts in both the groups postmouth rinsing with interventional solutions (P &lt; 0.05). However, the intergroup comparison revealed that, in the chlorhexidine group, there was significantly more reduction in salivary S. mutans counts compared to S. aromaticum mouth rinsing group (P = 0.02). Conclusion: There was a reduction in salivary S. mutans counts after mouth rinsing with a solution containing S. aromaticum. Hence, clove mouth rinse could be an effective aid for the prevention and control of dental caries since it is safe and culturally acceptable.

The effect of nano silver fluoride, self-assembling peptide and sodium fluoride varnish on salivary cariogenic bacteria: a randomized controlled clinical trial

ObjectivesTo compare the antibacterial effect of Nanosilver Fluoride varnish (NSF) varnish, P11-4 and Sodium Fluoride (NaF) varnish against salivary Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacilli.Methods66 patients aged 10–24 years old were randomly assigned to receive single application of NSF, P11-4 or NaF varnish. Baseline unstimulated saliva samples were collected before the agents were applied and S.mutans and Lactobacilli colony forming units (CFU) were counted. After one, three and six months, microbiological samples were re-assessed. Groups were compared at each time point and changes across time were assessed. Multivariable linear regression compared the effect of P11-4 and NSF to NaF on salivary S. mutans and Lactobacilli log count at various follow up periods.ResultsThere was a significant difference in salivary S. mutans log count after 1 month between P11-4 (B= -1.29, p = 0.049) and NaF but not at other time points nor between NSF and NaF at any time point. The significant reduction in bacterial counts lasted up to one month in all groups, to three months after using P11-4 and NaF and returned to baseline values after six months.ConclusionIn general, the antimicrobial effect of P11-4 and NSF on salivary S. mutans and Lactobacilli was not significantly different from NaF varnish. P11-4 induced greater reduction more quickly than the two other agents and NSF antibacterial effect was lost after one month.Clinical relevanceNSF varnish and P11-4 have antimicrobial activity that does not significantly differ from NaF by 3 months. P11-4 has the greatest antibacterial effect after one month with sustained effect till 3 months. The antibacterial effect of NSF lasts for one month. NaF remains effective till 3 months.Trial RegistrationThis trial was prospectively registered on the clinicaltrials.gov registry with ID: NCT04929509 on 18/6/2021.

Comparative Assessment of Herbal Mouthwash with Chlorhexidine on Plaque Accumulation, Gingivitis, and Salivary Streptococcus mutans Growth

ABSTRACT Objectives: The goal of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of a commercially available herbal mouthwash with chlorhexidine on the number of Streptococcus mutans in the saliva, the condition of the gingival tissue, and plaque development. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two adults in all, ranging in age from 20 to 30, were divided into two groups at random. Throughout the 14-day clinical trial, Group A (11) and Group B (11) received 10 mL of test herbal mouthwash and chlorhexidine, respectively. Result: Herbal mouthwash was discovered to be equally as effective as chlorhexidine in lowering the salivary mutans streptococci count and in affecting plaque and gingival scores. Conclusion: Alternatives from the herbal world may show to be a reliable and secure therapy option.

Comparison the salivary streptococcus mutans levels between caries-active and caries-free children from Birjand, Iran: A case-control study

ObjectiveDental plaque bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans (SM), play a role in the pathogenesis of the dental caries. There are conflicting results regarding the association of salivary SM level and dental caries susceptibility. Our aim was to compare salivary SM levels in colony-forming units (CFU) between children with active caries and caries-free children in Birjand, Iran. MethodsThis case-control study included 61 six-year-old children referred to health centers in Birjand city, Iran, in 2022. The children were divided into two groups: case (dmft/DMFT>0 with active caries) (including 31 children) and control (dmft/DMFT = 0 [caries-free]) (including 30 children). Demographic information and dental history were recorded. Oral examinations were also performed by the dentist. Unstimulated saliva samples were collected from children. The number of salivary SM colonies was determined using the microbial culture and confirmed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The data were analyzed using Chi-square and T-tests at a significance level of p < 0.05. ResultsThe mean number of SM colonies was 126.24 ± 92.78 CFU/ml and 92.38 ± 75.34 CFU/ml in case and control groups, respectively. No significant difference was found in salivary SM levels between case and control groups (P = 0.125). No significant association was observed between caries experience with gender (P = 0.363), type of school (public/private) (P = 0.296), receiving oral health education (P = 0.072) and frequency of tooth brushing (P = 0.935). The mean gingival index (P = 0.001) and plaque index (P = 0.025) in case group were significantly higher than control group. ConclusionThere is no significant difference in salivary SM levels between caries-active and caries-free children in Birjandi children.

Comparison of the Antibacterial Efficacy of Bamboo Shoot Ethanol Extract With Chlorhexidine Mouth Rinse Against Salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus: An Ex Vivo Study.

Background Dental caries is the most prevalent polymicrobial oral infectious disease tormenting individuals' healthy lifestyles and presents a significant public health problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the antibacterial properties of different concentrations of bamboo shoot ethanol extract with chlorhexidine mouth rinse on isolates of salivary Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus). Materials and methods Non-stimulated salivary samples from 30 young adults were treated ex vivo with bamboo shoot ethanolic extract at concentrations of 30 µg/ml, 40 µg/ml, 50 µg/ml, and 60 µg/ml. The colony-forming units were quantified by measuring the number of viable bacterial cells. Inhibition zones were evaluated using the agar diffusion method. One-way ANOVA and post-hoc test were used to analyze the significant difference between variables using SPSS version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results The mean zone of inhibition with bamboo shoot ethanolic extract against salivary S. mutans (23.00 ± 0.816) and L. acidophilus (22.00 ± 0.816) total counts was closest to the control chlorhexidine (S. mutans =22.00 ± 0.876 and L. acidophilus =21.10 ± 0.876). A greater activity against S. mutans and L. acidophilus is seen in the zone of inhibition of the 60 µg/ml experimental concentration of bamboo shoot ethanolic extract, with a significant difference in the disc diffusion assay. Conclusion The treatment with bamboo shoot extract was equivalent effective in the mentioned bacterial species. Clinical relevance It can be assured that preventive measures like mouth rinse and dentifrices compromising bamboo shoots, a potential dental biomaterial, would be optimistic agents for caries control, including the cariostatic effect.

Effect of Intraoral Appliance on Oral Health Status and Streptococcus mutans Count: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract Objective Appliances used in preventive and interceptive orthodontics, which are often provided to correct or intercept a specific malocclusion or habit, may be detrimental. to a child's oral health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of intra oral appliance wear on the plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, and on levels of salivary Streptococcus mutans. Materials and Methods A total of 60 children requiring any preventive or interceptive orthodontic treatment (appliance therapy) were randomly divided into two groups, as fixed orthodontic appliance group (n = 30) and removable appliance group (n = 30). Preoperative and post operative assessments of patients were done before and after wearing appliances. Assessment was done by determining oral hygiene status and microbiological evaluation of saliva for S. mutans count. S. mutans colonies were counted from saliva cultured on mitis-salivarius-bacitracin (MSB) agar. Statistical Analysis Data that are continuous in nature were summarized as standard deviation and mean. For “within group” comparisons, paired t-tests were used to analyze the continuous data. For “between group” comparisons, unpaired t-tests and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the continuous data. Results Appliance treatment increases plaque and gingival indices. Plaque and gingival index changes 1 month after deployment of both fixed and removable appliances were essentially the same and statistically non-significant with p-values of 0.412 and 0.965. Bleeding on probing after insertion of both appliances was not statistically significant (p=0.423). S. mutans numbers increased following removable and fixed orthodontics. Fixed appliances had more S. mutans than removable appliances (p=0.014). Conclusion The inherent levels of these microorganisms are related with plaque accumulation due to fixed or removable appliances. Increase in the level of plaque and microorganisms after fixed and removable appliance therapy can hamper optimum oral health and thus is a concern for pedodontists. During orthodontic therapy, cariogenic pathogens should be reviewed, and to prevent cariogenic pathogens from increasing and to maintain oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment, proper recall visits, patient and parent education, and regular fluoride application are essential.

Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Black Tea Extract Mouthrinse and Chlorhexidine Mouthwash on Salivary Streptococcus Mutans Load

Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Black Tea Extract Mouthrinse and Chlorhexidine Mouthwash on Salivary Streptococcus Mutans Load

Manual vs. interactive power toothbrush on plaque removal and salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus casei levels : Single-center, examiner-blinded, randomized clinical trial in orthodontic patients.

The purpose of this study was to compare efficacy of amanual and an interactive power toothbrush in orthodontic patients by assessing periodontal indexes and bacterial content of saliva samples. Forty patients (20females, 20males; age range 12-18years) with fixed orthodontic appliances were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups in a1:1 ratio using sealed envelopes: group1: manual toothbrush (Oral‑B Ortho Brush, Procter&Gamble Company, Dublin, Ireland), group2: interactive power toothbrush (Oral‑B Genius 8900, Procter&Gamble Company, Marktheidenfeld, Germany). All participants were given the same toothpaste (Colgate Triple Action, Colgate-Palmolive, New York, NY, USA). The brushing procedure for each patient was described in detail, both orally and visually, utilizing avideo demonstration. Plaque and bleeding index scores were recorded for both the lower and upper arches at the beginning of the study (T0) and at weeks6 (T1) and 12 (T2). In addition, the numbers of Streptococcus (S.)mutans, Lactobacillus (L.)casei, and Porphyromonas (P.)gingivalis bacteria were determined using areal-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis in saliva samples collected at T0, T1, and T2 times. Mann-Whitney U test and Student's ttest were used to compare data between the groups, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Friedman tests were used to compare data from different time intervals for each group. Plaque index values were greater in group1 at T1 and T2, although there was no difference between the groups at T0. The gingival index scores of both groups were similar at T0, T1, and T2. While group2 had alarger number of salivary S.mutans at T0 and T2, there was no significant difference between the groups at T1. At all three time points, there was no significant difference in salivary L.casei levels between the groups. Although the interactive power toothbrush was more effective at removing plaque than the manual toothbrush, the results of the gingival index did not reflect the plaque scores. The number of certain salivary bacteria and brush type did not appear to have aclear relationship.

Comparative evaluation of Cranberry extract mouth rinse, Ozonized water and 0.2% Chlorhexidine on salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli count: An in-vivo study

Background: Cariogenic bacteria has always been considered as the highest risk factor for dental caries. The eradication of microorganisms from the oral health environment is important and hence may remedies have been suggested for its removal for a better oral health.&#x0D; Objectives: To assess the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Cranberry extract and to determine the efficacy and compare the effect of the three products on salivary Streptococcus Mutans count and lactobacilli count.Materials and Methodology: A randomized control, double blind, parallel-group clinical trial was conducted on 75 subjects of age group of 15 years who were divided into three study groups ,Cranberry , Ozonized water and Chlorhexidine mouthwash. Microbial analysis was done by colony counter unit at baseline, 8thday and 15th day of using the mouthwashes. The inter-group variations was analyzed by using One way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc and Repeated measures for intra-group variations at different time intervals.&#x0D; Results: Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli colony count showed a statistically highly significant difference in reduction of colony count between the three groups (p=0.001) at 8th and 15th day of using the mouthwashes. Ozonized water showed better reduction when compared with Cranberry mouth wash in reduction of Streptococcus mutans count. Cranberry mouth wash had shown a better reduction when compared with Ozonized water in reduction of Lactobacilli colony count.Conclusion: The test mouthwash was effective in reducing the microbial count, similar to Chlorhexidine mouth wash. Recent advances may allow the dental community to be exposed to much better oral health care.&#x0D; key words : cranberry, ozone water, streptococcus mutans, lacto bacilli, oral hygiene

Evaluating the Effects of Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) and Teucrium Polium Extracts on Salivary Streptococcus Mutans Levels in Children.

Camelia Sinenis or green tea (GT) and Teucrium polium (TP) are known to have a great antimicrobial potential on salivary Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). Their efficacy should be examined compared to the gold standard antimicrobial agents. To evaluate the effects of Camelia Sinenis or green tea (GT) and Teucrium polium (TP) extracts in comparison with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) on salivary S. mutans levels. This double-blinded randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 90 preschool children aged 4 to 6 years and assigned randomly (simple randomization) to three groups as GT, TP, and CHG. Unstimulated saliva samples were then collected in three times as before application of agents, after half an hour, and after one week. To determine S. mutans levels, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique was additionally utilized. Statistical analysis was also fulfilled using Shapiro-Wilk test, Friedman test, Chi-square test, paired sample t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Mann-Whitney U test at a significance level of 0.05. The results of this study established a significant difference between mean salivary S. mutans levels after administration of the three compounds. Although the mean of S. mutans levels reduced significantly following the application of CHG and TP after half an hour, the mean salivary S. mutans levels in the group receiving GT declined in a significant manner only one week later (p< 0.05). The results of this study indicated that GT and TP extracts had considerable effects on salivary S. mutans levels compared with CHG.