Current concepts on dental plaque and the microbiology of periodontitis and dental caries - a concise review

The oral cavity is a home for about 700 bacterial species, 50% of which are as yet uncultivable. They are found either bathing in saliva as planktonic cells or living in stable microbial communities, e.g. dental plaque, within distinct habitats. Due to its presence on non-shedding surfaces and because of its primary etiological role in dental caries and periodontitis, dental plaque has always been a focus of dental research. Influenced by an explosion in the interest in biofilm biology that occurred in the last decade, much attention has been recently given to the study of dental plaque as a microbial biofilm. Such a trend has been facilitated by advances in technologies and molecular methods. This review summaries the current knowledge about the different aspects of dental biofilms, and presents the different hypotheses on their etiological role in periodontitis and dental caries. The current stand on the microbiology of these diseases is also described

Comparative oral health status of an adult Sudanese population using miswak or toothbrush regularly

The objective of the present study was to conduct a systematic evaluation of miswak as an alternative tool to the modern toothbrush in preventing oral diseases. This involved clinical, microbial and chemical assessment using modern scientific methods. An adult Sudanese population using miswak or a modern toothbrush regularly was examined using clinical and microbial parameters. Freezedried extract of miswak was analyzed for antimicrobial components. The results showed a lower caries experience in the miswak users than in the subjects who used a modern toothbrush. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the periodontal variables examined except for less calculus in the posterior sextants of miswak users. The results also indicated that regular use of miswak had a significant Inhibitory effect on the levels of some salivary and subgingival plaque bacteria. The chemical analysis of miswak extracts showed that miswak contained a number of antimicrobial components including Cl-, SO42-, SCN-. N03-. These findings partially support the hypothesis that [1] adult Sudanese regular miswak users have better oral health and lower levels of oral pathogens than have adult Sudanese who use a modern toothbrush regularly and [2] these beneficial effects may be due to leachable SCN- in miswak

knowledge and practices of oral hygiene methods and attendance pattern among school teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to find out the knowledge and practices of oral hygiene methods among primary and secondary school teachers in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA]. The study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire. Four hundred and seventy teachers, male 236 [50.2%] and female 234 [48.8%] responded with a response rate of 85.5%. The study was conducted during October to December 2001 at primary and secondary schools in Riyadh City, KSA. Almost 86% of male and 90% of female teachers Felt that dental caries is due to the wrong method of tooth brushing, while sugar and sugary drinks were considered the main factors by 90% of male and 98% of female teachers. Seventy-five percent of male and 72% of female teachers considered irregular tooth brushing a cause of gums disease with 32% of male and 39% of female teachers not knowing detail with regard to microbial relationship of gum disease. Tooth brushing preference was common among 45% male and 49% female teachers due to perceived effect of better cleaning, while almost an equal percentage of male and females [62%] used miswak due to Sunnah. Thirty-three point five percent of female teachers brushed 3 times a day as compared to 19% male teachers. On daily basis brushing 3 times, a day was common among >5000 SR monthly income group. Male teachers preferred horizontal tooth brushing [40%] while female teachers preferred circular tooth brushing [45%]. Miswak was more commonly used by male teachers as compared to female teachers. Female school teachers had a higher income as compared to male schoolteachers. Thirty-two percent of females and 28% of male teachers were regular attendees to the dentist. Males were more satisfied by their oral health as compared to female teachers and 56% of male and 63% of female teachers visited the dentist only on having pain [toothache]. It is concluded that there is much resemblance in knowledge and practice of oral hygiene habits among male and female schoolteachers and there is a need to enhance their knowledge regarding oral health and disease. Both need more awareness regarding oral health promotion to have a positive role in school oral health education for their students in collaboration with oral health care workers

In vitro antimicrobial effects of crude miswake extracts on oral pathogens

In vitro, epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of chewing sticks on oral hygiene. The aim of this study was to assess under standardized test conditions whether miswak crude extracts prepared from S. persica roots and twigs using different solvents inhibited in vitro growth of some selected oral microbes involved in infections in humans. Sterile distilled water, 96% ethanol, 2% acetic acid and ethyl acetate were used as solvents. Reference strains of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Actinomyces naeslundii, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Candida albicans were tested for susceptibility to the antimicrobial effects of crude extracts using the broth microdilution method of Cai et al. Microbial growth was estimated spectrophotometrically at 650 nm In 96-well microtiter plates. Different concentrations of the S. persica extracts were Incubated at 37 C with each test strain for up to 72 hrs. The minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] of the extracts against the Individual test organisms was determined as the lowest concentration of the extract that limited turbidity to <0.05 absorbance at OD650nm Results showed that the root-ethanolic extract was the most potent. The most susceptible strain was S. mutans whereas L. acidophilus was the least susceptible. MIC values for the various plant extracts ranged from 100mg/mi to 300 mg/mi. Based on these results, it was concluded that miswak extracts exhibited low antimicrobial activity against the test microorganisms when compared with 0.2% aqueous chlorhexidine