Antimicrobial and powder characterization of herbal dentifrices

The consumption of edible products strongly recommends the regular hygiene of oral cavity. Variousdental products of allopathic and herbal origin are used as dentifrices. The dentifrices are consideredsafe and effective in terms of cleansing effect of oral cavity and antimicrobial effect against microbescausing bad smell and diseases such as gingivitis, pyorrhea etc. These characteristics of preparationsare basically related to physicochemical properties of ingredients present in their composition and somehow on directions of their use. In the present study, the marketed allopathic dentifrices coded as BrandI and II and herbal tooth powders coded as Brand III and IV were selected to analyze the impact ofphysicochemical properties of incorporated ingredients on their cleansing efficiency. The physicochemicalcharacteristics studied were pH, bulk volume, tapped volume, tapped density, bulk density, true density,porosity, flowability, compressibility, compactability, cohesiveness, dispersability, Carrs index, Hausnersratio, water soluble content, alcohol soluble content, foaming index, particle rearrangement behaviourand particle rearrangement constant. The antimicrobial effect of these powders was studied againstStaphylococcus sorbinus, Staphylococcus salivarius and Lactobacillus acidophilus. It was observedthat some of the physicochemical properties of all powders were different from each other. Markedantimicrobial effect of tooth powders was observed against pathogens. In all preparations, remarkablefoaming index was analyzed that was generally considered responsible for cleansing effect.