Determination of antibacterial activity of some commonly used toothbrush sticks

ABSTRACT

As bacteria appear to be the main causative factor in most oral and dental problems, an attempt has been made in this investigation to determine the antibacterial properties of some fresh or dried plant parts commonly used as toothbrush sticks for routine cleaning of teeth. Ten such plants were chosen. In general these chosen plants were found to possess long strong fibres and bitter or astringent tastes. The crude water extracts of these plants were tested in vitro against the pathogenic bacteria and 8 of them showed a good antibacterial activity. The sensitivity of the strains to the extracts was compared with that of standard ampicillin sensidiscs