Evaluation of the antimicrobial activities of three commonly available toothpastes on oral microbial flora

The oral cavity provides a rich ecological niche within which microbes strive to survive, replicate and cause harmful effects. Toothpastes, with the aid of toothbrushes are used to clean the teeth and so improve on the integrity of the teeth. The efficacies of these toothpastes vary with some possessing higher activities than others. The activities of three brands of toothpastes (A, B, C) were evaluated for their antimicrobial efficacy employing the agar diffusion test method and also by determining the viability of the microbes in vitro and in vivo in the presence of the toothpaste. The results showed that brand A – a gel, had the greatest activity followed by B also a gel. Brand C, a paste, was the least active. There was a slight decrease in the viability of oral microbes after brushing compared to the control. Formulation type may also have some influence on activity. Key words: Antimicrobial activity; Toothpastes; Oral flora Nig. J. Pharm. Res. 3(1) 2004: 102-10