Evaluation of Antimicrobial Effects of Trona and Alum on Dental Caries Isolates

Trona and alum are chemical substances found abundantly in nature. Dental caries, usually of bacterial origin, is a chronic disease in which microorganisms metabolize sugars from the diet and produce acid which can demineralize enamel, dentine, cementum and inorganic portion of tooth, followed by destruction of organic portions, leading to cavity formation. This research work was aimed at evaluating the antimicrobial effects of trona and alum on microorganisms isolated from dental caries. It was carried out at Microbiology laboratory unit of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. Eighty-five dental swab specimens were aseptically and properly collected from patients with carious tooth using sterile swab sticks. Microorganisms were isolated and identified using standard macroscopic, microscopic, biochemical and molecular testing methods. The isolates were Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Lactobacillus spp and Candida albicans. Antimicrobial sensitivity test of trona and alum on the isolates was carried out using the agar-well diffusion method. The results revealed that these isolates were susceptible to the natural compounds as zones of inhibition were observed at different concentrations. Alum showed the highest zone of inhibition of 25mm against Lactobacillus sp. at 200mg while trona showed inhibition of 17mm against Bacillus cereus at 200mg. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the compounds were also determined. The MIC and MBC of alum against the isolates ranges between 50mg/ml to 12.5mg/ml; while trona recorded 200mg/ml against all the isolates. The findings provide the scientific basis for use of alum and trona as antimicrobial agents; thus the need for their production at industrial level.