A comparative study to evaluate the effects of antibiotics, plant extracts and fluoride-based toothpaste on the oral pathogens isolated from patients with gum diseases in Pakistan

Oral diseases caused by various microorganisms are common around the world. Scientific research has now been focusing on novel medicines to overcome bacterial resistance and antibiotics side effects; therefore, the current study was designed to assess the efficacy of certain antibiotics, toothpaste, and medicinal plant extracts (Ajuga bracteosa and Curcuma longa) versus the bacterial pathogens isolated from the human oral cavity. A total of 130 samples were collected from Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan, among those 27 species isolated, and eight bacterial species were identified from the samples. Among all the bacterial species, Staphylococcus aureus (29.62%) and Proteus mirabilis (22.2%) were found to be more prevalent oral pathogens. In comparison, the least pervasive microbes were Proteus vulgaris, Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila. The study also suggested that dental problems were more prevalent in males (41-50 years of age) than females. Among the eight antibiotics used in the study, the most promising results were shown by Foxicillin against A. hydrophila. The survey of TP1 revealed that it showed more potent antagonist activity against Proteus vulgaris as compared TP2 and TP3 that might be due to the high content of fluoride. The Curcuma longa showed more significant activity than Ajuga bracteosa (Stem, leaves and root) extracts. The data obtained through this study revealed that antibiotics were more effective for oral bacterial pathogens than toothpaste and plant extracts which showed moderate and low activity, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that the active compounds in individual medicinal plants like Curcuma longa and Ajuga bracteosa could replace the antibiotics when used in daily routine as tooth cleansers or mouth rinses.

Molecular Mechanisms Leading from Periodontal Disease to Cancer

Periodontitis is prevalent in half of the adult population and raises critical health concerns as it has been recently associated with an increased risk of cancer. While information about the topic remains somewhat scarce, a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanistic pathways promoting neoplasia in periodontitis patients is of fundamental importance. This manuscript presents the literature as well as a panel of tables and figures on the molecular mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, two main oral pathogens in periodontitis pathology, involved in instigating tumorigenesis. We also present evidence for potential links between the RANKL–RANK signaling axis as well as circulating cytokines/leukocytes and carcinogenesis. Due to the nonconclusive data associating periodontitis and cancer reported in the case and cohort studies, we examine clinical trials relevant to the topic and summarize their outcome.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity and Aggregation Abilities of Probiotic Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus salivarius Against Oral Pathogens

The antagonistic effect of probiotics against oral pathogens merits exploration because these bacteria are beneficial to the host’s health. The antimicrobial activity of two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus salivarius, as well as L. casei and L. salivarius combination (1:1), was investigated against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis using agar-well diffusion, auto-aggregation and coaggregation assays. L. salivarius cell-free supernatant (CFS) alone exhibited greater inhibitory effect against Streptococci spp. compared to L. casei CFS alone and the combination. However, no inhibition was observed for Candida spp. L. salivarius alone exhibited significantly stronger auto-aggregation than L. casei alone (p ≤ 0.05) and L. casei and L. salivarius combination. L. salivarius exhibited strong coaggregation ability with Candida spp., followed by Streptococci spp. while L. casei exhibited coaggregation only with Streptococci spp. However, L. casei and L. salivarius combination did not display any coaggregation with all strains. L. salivarius alone exhibited a stronger antagonistic effect on the tested organisms than L. casei alone or in combination. Based on the results, both probiotic strains showed good antimicrobial activities against oral pathogens and should be further studied for their human health benefits.

Pattern of Antibiotic Prescription for Orofacial Infections among Dentists: A Narrative Review of Literature

Bacterial infections are common in dental and oral clinical practice. It is been estimated that about 10% of total antibiotic prescriptions are related to dental infections. Combination of amoxicillin-clavulanate and plain amoxycillin is the most commonly used drug by dentists across the world. Three general considerations were recognized in this literature review—Empirical antibiotic prescription by dentists without a culture test; concomitant prescription of antibiotics with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which may ultimately affect the bioavailability of the former drug; and the increased antimicrobial resistance amongst oral pathogens. Since decades, antibiotics have been prescribed for the treatment of odontogenic infections and non-odontogenic oral infections, and for focal infections and sepsis prophylaxis. Renal failure, liver failure, and pregnancy are situations that require special attention when considering an antibiotic prescription. This review attempted to contribute to the rational use and abuse of antibiotics while focusing on the general characteristics of these drugs.

Herbal mouthwash formulated with the leaf extract of Jatropha gossypiifolia Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) exhibited in vitro antimicrobial activity against selected oral pathogens

Increase in the incidence of oral disease, resistance to antibiotics and adverse effect to synthetic medicines has made search for alternative safe, effective and cheaper treatment options imperative, preferably from plant sources. This study evaluated the antimicrobial profile of ethanol extracts of leaf and root bark of Jatropha gossypiifolia and mouthwash formulation containing the leaf extract. Extraction of plant parts was done by cold maceration with 70% ethanol. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts and the formulated mouthwash were evaluated againstStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans using Agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the extracts on susceptible organisms was determined according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute protocol. The physicochemical parameters of the formulated mouthwash were assessed using standard methods. J. gossypiifolia leaf and root bark extracts exhibited a concentration dependent antimicrobial activity and MIC ranging from 50 to 260 mg/ml against test organisms. The formulated herbal mouthwash showed effective antimicrobial activity and suitable cosmetics properties. This study indicates that the leaf extracts of J. gossypiifolia possess bioactive metabolites with strong antimicrobial activities and its herbal mouthwash formulation has potential in the treatment of various diseases caused by oral pathogens.

The Application of a Recombinant Antimicrobial Peptide of Thrombocidin-1 expressed in Pichia pastoris as a Novel Approach Against Some Oral Pathogenic Bacteria: An In-vitro Study

Objective: Oral infections and dental caries are considered serious health problems. Therefore, searching for new agents with antimicrobial properties seems to be crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the recombinant Thrombocidin-1 [TC-1] peptide on some oral pathogens. Also, the cytotoxicity of this peptide on human gingival fibroblast cells was investigated. Methods & Materials: In this study, Pichia pastoris was used for the expression of recombinant TC-1. The microbroth dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] and minimum bacterial concentration [MBC]. It tested against four main oral pathogens; Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus oralis, and Enterococcus faecalis. Moreover, the cytotoxicity analysis was done on gingival fibroblast cells by the MTT method. The data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] and Tukey’s HSD tests. Results: The most bactericidal effect of TC-1 was against S. salivarius, the highest bacteriostatic effect was against S. salivarius, and S. oralis had the lowest MIC value of 1.512 μg/ml. The Thrombocidin-1 peptide showed lower antibacterial properties against E. faecalis compared with CHX, unlike the stronger antimicrobial effect on examined streptococci. According to cytotoxicity examination, no concentration of TC-1 presented over 50% growth inhibition [IC50] of the fibroblasts cells. Conclusion: Based on antimicrobial tests and cytotoxicity results, the Thrombocidin-1 peptide may be useful as a safe antibacterial agent against some oral pathogens in dental materials.

Tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-Based Inhibitors of Porphyromonas gingivalis Glutaminyl Cyclase

Periodontitis is a severe yet underestimated oral disease. Since it is linked to several systemic diseases, such as diabetes, artheriosclerosis, and even Alzheimer’s disease, growing interest in treating periodontitis has emerged recently. The major cause of periodontitis is a shift in the oral microbiome. A keystone pathogen that is associated with this shift is Porphyromonas gingivalis. Hence, targeting P. gingivalis came into focus of drug discovery for the development of novel antiinfective compounds. Among others, glutaminyl cyclases (QCs) of oral pathogens might be promising drug targets. Here, we report the discovery and structure–activity relationship of a novel class of P. gingivalis QC inhibitors according to a tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-c]pyridine scaffold. Some compounds exhibited activity in the lower nanomolar range and thus were further characterized with regard to their selectivity and toxicity.

Comparative antimicrobial efficacy study of different commercially available toothpaste in India: An in vitro study

Antimicrobial chemotherapeutic agents have been recommended for lowering oral bacteria growth. The main purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of different toothpaste formulations in providing complete oral cavity protection against oral pathogens. By using a modified well agar diffusion assay, twenty kinds of toothpaste were examined for antimicrobial efficacy against two oral pathogens: Streptococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The examination indicated that the majority of the non-herbal dentifrices and combinations of herbal and chemical-based dentifrices chosen for the investigation were viable against both microbial strains, however, to differing degrees. TP1 and TP17 were found the best against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, with 21.553 mm and 23.443 mm as the zone of inhibition. From the herbal dentifrices, TP15 was found to have significant effect on E. coli, followed by TP19 for S. aureus. Nevertheless, toothpaste TP15 and TP19 were not effective against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. In correlation, the inhibition zones of every single other dentifrice were found to be less. Antimicrobial activity against test organisms was stronger in a sodium lauryl sulphate-based dental formulations, when combined with fluoride. A formulation including TP15 exhibited substantial activity against the tested bacterium E. coli among herbal dentifrices. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the effectiveness against Gram-negative bacteria was greater than against Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, herbal toothpaste can be incorporated with chemotherapeutic agents to enhance its effectiveness against pathogens present in the oral microbiome. This comparison aids in the identification of the toothpaste’s shortcomings and benefits over other formulations, widening the scope of more potent toothpaste products.

Antimicrobial effect of natural kinds of toothpaste on oral pathogenic bacteria

Introduction: Because of the adverse effects on human health of some antimicrobial ingredients in traditional toothpaste, consumers are increasingly turning to toothpastes with natural ingredients. This study evaluates the antimicrobial effect of toothpastes containing different natural active agents against three oral pathogens: Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Enterococcus faecalis. Methodology: This study tested one traditional toothpaste and seven different natural toothpastes containing theobromine, aloe vera, miswak, propolis, chitosan, enzymes and probiotics. The agar-well diffusion method was used to test the antimicrobial effect. Inhibition zones formed around toothpastes after 24 hours of incubation were measured and the data collected were statistically analyzed. Results: Toothpastes containing theobromine and chitosan and the traditional toothpaste showed antimicrobial efficacy for all tested bacteria. Toothpastes containing aloe vera, miswak, and propolis were only effective on S. mutans, while toothpastes containing probiotics and enzymes did not show any antimicrobial effect on the bacteria. Among toothpastes with natural ingredients, the theobromine-containing toothpaste showed the highest efficacy on S. mutans, while the aloe vera- and propolis-containing toothpastes had the lowest efficacy (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Theobromine- and chitosan-containing toothpastes, which showed antimicrobial activity against all bacteria, can be recommended as alternatives to traditional toothpastes.