Background: Dental caries is caused by interaction between three factors; microorganisms (dental plaque), the host (teeth and saliva) and the substrate (fermentable carbohydrates). Tooth decay is highly associated with Streptococcus mutans. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent in reducing S. mutans. Suggestion of possible natural substitutes to chlorohexidine is cacao bean ethanol extract (CBEE). There are insufficient studies on evaluating the antibacterial activities of cacao bean ethanol extract versus chlorhexidine on oral salivary S. mutans.
Aim of the study: The aim of the current study is to compare the antimicrobial capability of cacao bean ethanol extract versus chlorhexidine on oral S. mutans.
Materials and methods: Stimulated saliva was segregated from pre-school children and was evaluated microbiologically by the agar diffusion method. Saliva was cultured to isolate S. mutans. After incubation, the diameters of zones of inhibition were measured.
Results: The statistical analysis using paired t-test declared a significant difference (p < 0.05) for CBEE and CHX groups with reference to their antimicrobial power.
Conclusion: The antimicrobial effect of CHX on S. mutans was greater than that of CBEE.