Antibacterial Activities of <i>Psidium guajava</i>(Guava) and <i>Velvet tamarin</i>(Icheku) Local Chewing Sticks on <i>Streptococcus mutans</i>Isolated from Human Mouth

Globally dental diseases are mainly caused by Streptococcus mutans, it is one of the leading causative agents of dental caries worldwide, because of its resistance to conventional antibacterial agents, alternative therapies are used to control resistance of oral pathogens. This research was done to determine the antibacterial activities of Psidium guajava (guava) and Velvet tamarin (Icheku) chewing sticks on Streptococcus mutans isolated from the oral cavity. The study was conducted in Owerri Imo State Nigeria during November-December period. Phytochemical analysis of the plant extracts was done using appropriate techniques. The procedure used for antimicrobial susceptibility test was disk diffusion method. Serial dilutions of Psidium guajava (guava) and Velvet tamarind (Icheku) extracts were prepared, Muller-Hinton media was used to put together the extract of serial dilutions of Psidium guajava (guava) and Velvet tamarin (Icheku) and a microbiological procedure were used for visually determining the minimum inhibitory concentration as well as minimum bactericidal concentration. Phytochemical evaluation of the plants’ extracts revealed that it contains saponins, tannins, alkaloid, steriods, glycosides and phenol. The results obtained from the antibacterial susceptibility testing of the extracts against Streptococcus mutans showed that the zones of inhibition recorded ranged from 18 mm to 27 mm. Ethanol (Soxhlet) extract of Icheku twig showed no zone of inhibition on the isolated organism. The ethanol (soxhlet) extract of the individual Psidium guajava (guava) and Velvet tamarin (Icheku) has a better antibacterial effect when compared to their aqueous extracts and combined forms. Psidium guajava (Guava) and Velvet tamarin (Icheku) twigs are made up of composite that is active against S. mutans and can be used in oral hygiene. There is a need for further investigation on the plant extracts as the rural poor make use of it because it is cheap, readily available and the rich also use it once they are in the village mostly in Eastern Nigeria. Similarly chewing sticks has been reported to be practiced by 90 of rural population in Nigeria.