African Journal of Dentistry

African Journal of Dentistry ISSN 2756-3421 Vol. 8 (6), pp. 001-008, June, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Oral hygiene and the use of plants

S. Muhammad^1* and M. T. Lawal²

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University P.M.B.2346, Sokoto-Nigeria.

²Department of Biology, Sokoto State Polytechnic, Sokoto-Nigeria.

Accepted 21 March, 2020

Abstract

Good oral hygiene is necessary for the healthy teeth, gum and fresh breath. A number of methods are used in oral hygiene to prevent and cure oral diseases. It is of importance to look at the roles plants play in oral hygiene as a number of them have medicinal properties. When compared to toothpaste, mouthwashes, denitrifies etc. plants used for oral hygiene stands out. In many African homes, teeth are cleaned in the morning by chewing the root or slim stem of certain plants until they acquire brush-like ends. The Babylonians recorded the use of chewing sticks in 7000 BC and its use ultimately spread throughout the Greek and Roman Empires, it is also used by Egyptians, Jews and in the Islamic Empires. It is believed that the counterpart of the modern day toothbrush was unknown in Europe until about 300 years ago. Presently, chewing sticks is being used in Africa, South America, the Middle East and Asia. The present review looked at the various traditional oral hygiene methods with their medical implications.

Key words: Oral hygiene, chewing sticks toothpaste, mouthwashes, denitrifies.

African Journal of Dentistry ISSN 2756-3421 Vol. 8 (6), pp. 001-005, June, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study to assess the plaque inhibitory action of herbal-based toothpaste: A double blind controlled clinical trial

Golpar Radafshar¹*, Faranak Mahboob² and Ehsan Kazemnejad²

¹Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Dental Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

²Dental Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

Accepted 10 March, 2020

Abstract

Incorporating herbal extracts in the formulation of toothpastes is becoming an accepted mode of chemical plaque control. This study has been conducted to determine whether an herbal-based toothpaste would inhibit de novo plaque formation beyond that of a conventional fluoride Toothpaste. Fifteen adult volunteers, meeting the inclusion criteria (age range 19 - 22) participated in a double-blind, cross-over controlled clinical trial, based on a variation of a 4 day plaque regrowth model. After professional tooth cleaning, subjects were asked to refrain from all mechanical hygiene measures for the next 96 h, and to use two rinses (1 min) a day as the only oral hygiene measure. At day 4, teeth were stained to assess the whole mouth plaque index (PI) using Turesky modification of Quigley Hein PI (TMQH), and to evaluate the PI for anterior teeth using a 10 scaled method of plaque scoring (NMPS). Herbal-based toothpaste provided statistically significant plaque inhibitory action measured by whole mouth plaque index, over control toothpaste (P = 0.032). There was no significant difference between test and control dentifrices in plaque index for anterior teeth using NMPS index. Pearson´s correlation coefficient showed significant values indicating close similarity between the two indices (r = 0.962, P < 0.0001). This study demonstrated the effectiveness of herbal-based toothpaste in the control of dental plaque formation over control paste. Further investigation into the potential value of this formulation among target population is recommended.

Key words: Plaque inhibition, herbal based toothpaste, clinical trial, plaque index.

African Journal of Dentistry ISSN 2756-3421 Vol. 8 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Antibacterial activity of garlic and lime on isolates of extracted carious teeth

U. B. Owhe-Ureghe¹, D. A. Ehwarieme¹ and D. O. Eboh²

¹Department of Microbiology, Delta State University, P.M.B.1 Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria.

²Department of Anatomy, Delta State University, P.M.B.1 Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria.

Accepted 12 April, 2020

Abstract

Inhibitory activity of garlic (Allium sativum Linn.) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia Linn.) on seven bacterial species (Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Norcadia asteroides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Actinomyces viscosus, Staphylococcus aureus and Veillonella alcaligens) isolated from 240 extracted, carious teeth were investigated using standard techniques. The mean zones of inhibition for garlic, lime and a mixture of both, ranged from (15.0 ± 0.7) - (27.0 ± 1.0); (21.0 ± 1.0) - (27.0 ± 0.7) and (21.0 0.7) - (30.0 ± 0.5) respectively, as compared with that for Gentamycin (18.0 ± 0.0) - (23.0 ± 0.5), indicating antibacterial activity. MICs for garlic, lime and a mixture of both, were 31.25 - 62.50 mg mL^-1; 1:2 v/v and 15.63 - 31.25 mg mL^-1 respectively, which coincided with the respective MBCs. The result of this investigation suggests that a paste made by blending garlic and lime could be used as a mouth wash in the treatment of dental caries, mouth-sore, sore-throat and also, be incorporated into toothpaste to prevent dental caries.

Key words: Garlic (Allium sativum Linn.), lime (Citrus aurantifolia Linn.), Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Norcadia asteroides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Actinomyces viscosus, Staphylococcus aureus, Veillonella alcaligens.

African Journal of Dentistry ISSN 2756-3421 Vol. 8 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of simulated pulpal pressure on composite bond strength to dentin prepared using Er, Cr: YSGG laser

Siavash Savadi Oskoee, Parnian Alizadeh Oskoee, Soodabeh Kimyai*, Narmin Mohammadi and Sahand Rikhtegaran

Department of Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University, Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Accepted 21 September, 2019

Abstract

Bonding to dentin with adhesive systems is affected by the tubular fluid flow induced by pulpal pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of simulated pulpal pressure on the microtensile bond strength of an adhesive to dentin surface prepared by laser irradiation. Crowns of twenty human extracted third molars were subjected to Er, Cr: YSGG laser beams. Specimens were divided into two groups according to pulpal pressure simulation. In the first group resin composite (Z-250 Filtek) was bonded to flat surfaces of samples using dentin bonding agent (Single Bond) under simulated pulpal pressure. In the second group, the same procedure was carried out without pulpal pressure simulation. After storing the teeth in saline solution at 37˚C for 24 h, thirty 1-mm-thick slices were cut from the samples in each group and subjected to bond strength test. Microtensile bond strength was determined using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 2 mm/min. Statistical significance was determined by T-test (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the mean microtensile bond strengths between the groups (p < 0.0005). Simulated pulpal pressure had a negative effect on microtensile bond strength of laser ablated dentin when Single Bond adhesive system was used.

Key words: Bond strength, laser treatment, pulpal pressure, resin composite.

African Journal of Dentistry ISSN 3216-0216 Vol. 8 (4), pp. 001-008, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Self report of adverse gingival conditions among pregnant South-Western Nigerian women

Joy Ucheonye Ifesanya* and Gbemisola Aderemi Oke

¹Department of Child Oral Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

²Community Dentistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 22 February, 2020

Abstract

Reports have associated the occurrence of periodontal diseases, of which gingivitis is the earliest and commonest form in pregnancy with an increased risk for poor pregnancy outcome. There is dearth of information on the oral status of pregnant women in Nigeria. This study assessed self reported adverse gingival changes and its relationship with observed gingival health status among pregnant women in a South-Western Nigerian locality. Responses about self observed gingival status were obtained from 405 pregnant women attending two primary health care antenatal clinics from a local government area within a municipality in South-Western Nigeria. In addition to demographic data, pregnancy and social history, oral hygiene practice and history of professional dental care were obtained using an interviewer administered questionnaire. An intra-oral examination was also performed on each woman and data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 17. The mean age was 25.35 (±5.02) years. Married women accounted for 96.8% of the study population. None of the women reported having ever smoked, while 23.5% of them reported taking alcohol in the form of local herbal preparations both before and during the course of their pregnancy. Older women were more likely to report adverse gingival changes in pregnancy. The association between reported adverse gingival changes and observed severity of gingivitis was significant (P < 0.05). Those who had visited a professional dental care giver were more likely to report adverse gingival changes. Women who chewed kolanuts or bitter kola were also more likely to report adverse gingival changes. This study highlights the low awareness of pregnant Nigerian women about their gingival health status and exposes the need to explore the effect of locally available stimulant nuts on gingival health.

Key words: Self-report, gingivitis, oral hygiene, pregnancy, Nigeria.

African Journal of Dentistry ISSN 3216-0216 Vol. 8 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

Titanium particles enhanced osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast bone resorption activity in vitro

Bo Meng* and Xiaoyu Yang

Oral Implant Center, Guangdong Provincial Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, China.

Accepted 06 February, 2020

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of titanium particles that detached from dental implants on osteoclast differentiation and their bone resorption activity. Osteoclasts were generated by titanium particles medium and conditioned medium with or without anti-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL). The number of osteoclast was counted and the resorption areas on dentin slices were measured. Moreover, the expression of RANKL and the phagocytosis of titanium particles by cells were evaluated by western blot and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast bone resorption activity were enhanced both in titanium particles medium and conditioned medium. In addition, titanium particles promote the expression of RANKL in osteoblasts and the phagocytosis of titanium particles by osteoblasts was demonstrated by TEM. In conclusion, titanium particles enhanced osteoclast generation and their activity and could induce bone resorption around dental implants.

Key words: Titanium particles, dental implants, osteoclast, bone resorption.