title: The effect of selected plant extracts on the development of single-species dental biofilms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of a mixture of plant extracts on the adherence and retention of bacteria in dental biofilm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from December 2009 to December 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  For determination of adhering ability, experimental pellicle was first treated with the Plant Extracts Mixture (PEM) before inoculating it with individual bacterial species (S. mitis / S. sanguinis / S. mutans). For the determination of retention ability, the procedure was repeated with the experimental pellicle being inoculated first with the individual bacterial species and then treating it with the PEM. These two experiments were repeated with deionized distilled water(negative control) and Thymol (0.64%) (positive control). The bacterial populations in biofilms for the two experiments were expressed as Colony Forming Unit (CFU) / mL x 10(4) and the corresponding values were expressed as mean ± SD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effect of the Plant Extracts Mixture (PEM) for the two experiments was compared with that of Thymol and deionized distilled water. It was shown that there is a reduced adherence of bacteria to PEM-treated and Thymol (0.064%) treated experimental pellicle compared with the negative control (p < 0.001). It was also found that the retention of bacteria in both treated biofilms is also lower than that of negative control (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plant Extracts Mixture (PEM) may influence the development of dental biofilm by affecting the adhering and retention capacities of the bacterial species in the dental biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zubaidah Haji
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Abdul Rahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Campus Bukit Mertajam, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 13500 Sebrang Perai, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wan Nordini
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Hasnor Wan Ismail
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wan Himratul-Aznita
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wan Harun
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Fathilah Abdul
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Razak
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D013943:Thymol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013943:Thymol