The efficacy of herbal toothpastes against "primary plaque colonizers"

Periodontal disease is believed to result from an infection by a group of bacteria known as the periodontopathogens. In order to infect the periodontal sulcus, these organisms require specific environmental conditions that favour their growth. These conditions are brought about by less pathogenic bacteria that form part of group of organisms known as “the primary plaque colonizers”. By eliminating these pioneer species it may be possible to prevent the colonization of the pocket by the periodontopathogens. Recently herbs and plant extracts with known antimicrobial properties have been incorporated into a number of dentifrices.These may have the ability to reduce bacteria associated with the development of dental plaque. In this book, we show how several herb based toothpastes were tested for their antimicrobial efficacy.The results may have direct implications in the management of periodontal disease.