Gad Onywere¹, Paul Gyles¹, Jeanelle Lewin¹, Tana Bandoo¹, Karhone Mundell¹, Dennis Bailey¹, Patience Bazuaye-Alonge^1,

Objectives: The study was to compare the efficacy of selected commercial mouthwashes and natural products against oral microorganisms. Method: Red sage (Lantana camara) and Chew stick (Gouania lupuloides) plant material were collected from Northern Caribbean University farm. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the plants were extracted and concentrated with a rotor vapor. The extracts were utilized for the preparation of different concentrations for antimicrobial sensitivity. Commercial mouthwashes: Crest, ACT, Ultra Care, Cari-Med and Listerine were tested against the isolates: Streptococcus mutans, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from oral cavity. Phytochemical screening was done on the plant extracts to determine their active ingredients. Results: The results showed that Red sage and Chew stick extracts had the highest zone of inhibition against the oral microorganisms compared to the commercial mouthwashes. The microorganisms were weakly sensitive to the mouthwashes. Aqueous plant extracts tested positive for phytochemical screening. Conclusion: It is evident that the plant extracts had antimicrobial properties. The oral microorganisms were sensitive to the ethanolic and aqueous extracts. Red sage aqueous extracts was the most potent against all tested microorganisms. Thus, further work is in progress to consider Red sage and chew stick natural products as mouthwashes for treatment of oral cavity infections.

oral microorganisms, commercial mouthwashes, plants extracts and antimicrobial activity