Abstract
The maintenance of oral health and hygiene is of prime importance in all the cultures. But the use of synthetic chemicals and antibiotics brings about many adverse effects, and therefore, the science has been searching in nature for potential natural remedies. Salvadora persica is widely used as chewing sticks, and its regular users have been observed to have a high degree of oral health and hygiene. In the present study, with standard protocols, we analyzed various phytochemical constituents of the Salvadora persica root and its ethanol extract's combined activity against the most common types of root canal bacteria including Streptococcus mutants, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Staphylococcus aureus, Actinomyces sp. etc. The extract presented significant activity against all the tested bacteria. Salvadora persica displayed the highest zone of inhibition of 17.6 mm against Streptococcus mutants Strain1 and the lowest zone of inhibition towards Actinomyces sp. (8.3 mm). The MIC value of crude ethanolic extracts was 31.25 mu g/ml against Streptococcus mutants. Based on this study and other similar studies, we concluded that the Salvadora persica L. "miswak" could be used as a tool in overall oral hygiene.