Antimicrobial effect of pepper mint in the prevention of gum disease
Findings of a study showed that peppermint essential oil has antibacterial properties on four bacterial strains. With further research, this plant can be used in the pharmaceutical industry to prevent gum disease.
Bacteria, fungi, single cells, and sometimes a variety of viruses live naturally inside each person’s mouth. Among them, the number and variety of bacteria is more than others and different species of them have been cultured and identified. Some of these bacteria cause gum disease or periodontal disease.
Gum disease is one of the most common infectious diseases of the mouth that begins in the early stages with inflammation, swelling and redness of the gums and may cause tooth loss and bone loss and ….
One of the causes of gum disease and inflammation is the formation of biofilm. Biofilm; It is a dense mass of microscopic microorganisms such as bacteria that combine with extracellular materials such as proteins, fats, etc. and adhere to surfaces. Bacteria become resistant to antimicrobial agents when they form biofilms and cause problems such as gingivitis.
Mouthwashes are used to prevent gingivitis and reduce biofilm. Peppermint, which contains menthol essential oil, may reduce inflammation of the gums and biofilm. For this reason, researchers at Arak University of Medical Sciences studied the effects of this herbal compound.
Elahe Rezaei; General Dentist, Mojtaba Bayani; Researcher, Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Arak University of Medical Sciences, and Mohammad Arjmandzadegan; The researchers of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the Infectious Diseases Research Center of Arak University of Medical Sciences were the people who participated in this study.
For this experiment, fresh pepper mint was prepared from the greenhouse of medicinal plants and the mountains of Farahan region of Arak and after washing, an alcoholic and aqueous extract was extracted from it.
Also, to study the antimicrobial effects and the formation and strength of biofilm in the presence of this plant, four strains of Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus sanguis, Eknela corudens and Actinomycosis viscose were used.
The results of this study also showed that the essential oil of pepper mint with a concentration of 0.1 g / ml has an inhibitory effect on Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus sanguis and the pure essential oil of this plant had an inhibitory effect on all four strains of bacteria in different amounts.
Also, the biofilm test in these bacteria showed that the essential oil of the peppermint plant inhibits the formation of all four bacteria.
According to the researchers, this study also had its limitations. By performing this test on more and stronger bacteria, as well as examining its effect on human oral tissue and conducting In ViVo studies (in vivo), we can be more sure of the antimicrobial effect of pepper mint.
With further research, this plant can be used in the pharmaceutical industry in the future to control and prevent gum disease.