Developed experimental assays enable us to compare the antimicrobial activity of herbal medicinal drugs on Lactobacillus and Bacillus strains probiotics, which have been claimed to possess the ability of suppressing the growth of various oral pathogens. In the treatment of periodontal disease it is advisable to use a comprehensive approach which would include the application of herbal remedies and probiotics. The combination of such effects may be a new approach in dentistry due to their complementary antimicrobial activity. In this study, we researched antimicrobial effects of herbal medicinal drugs (tinctures of some medical plants, solutions Rotocanum and Chlorophyllipt) against collection strains and clinical strains isolated from the oral cavity of patients with periodontitis, and probiotic strains Bacillus subtilis UKM В-5007 and Bacillus licheniformis UKM В-5514 that are part of the active base of probiotic Biosporin (Ukraine), Bacillus clausii from the probiotic Normaflore (Hungary), as well as the strains Lactobacillus spp. – from probiotic Lactobacterinum (Biopharma, Ukraine). For investigation, the standard agar dilution method was used in modification with glass cylinders. The results of the research showed that among the studied herbal medicinal remedies, tinctures of Eucalypthus viminalis, Mentha piperita and Chlorophyllipt had the strongest antimicrobial activity. Probiotic strains are also sensitive to herbal tinctures (except the tinctura of wormwood), which indicate the possibility of only consecutive usage (with an interval of time) of herbal remedies and probiotics in combination therapy in the treatment of periodontal diseases.

It is admitted that the normal human microflora plays an important role in supporting homeostasis, forming immune mechanisms and metabolism. Nowadays, there is a constant growth of different diseases due to microbiological imbalance in a human organism. Preparations containing “good bacteria” have been used for therapeutic purposes since ancient times. The mechanism of probiotics influence comprises their ability to compete for adhesion sites with the pathogens, to exhibit antagonistic activity and stimulate the immune system of a host. Most of probiotics commonly used are the spores of Bacillus. Initially the main focus of their use was the prevention of gastrointestinal disorders. So, the use of probiotics in dental practice is a poorly studied area. In recent years, probiotics have been investigated to provide the oral health. Therefore the study of using probiotics for correction of the oral microflora in people with inflammatory diseases of the periodontal tissues is promising. Our previous studies have shown changes in microbial community of an oral cavity in patients with periodontitis. In particular, the reducing number of obligate microorganisms and increasing number of pathogens was demonstrated. The paper describes the current data on the potential benefits and basic properties of the Bacillus spore probiotics, which demonstrate the viability and relevance in dental practice. The study tested antagonistic activity of commercial Bacillus probiotics "Biosporin" ("Biopharma", Ukraine), "Subalinum" ("Biopharma", Ukraine), "Normaflore" ("Sanofi-Aventis Zrt.", Hungary) and "Enterogermina" ("Sanofi-Synthelabo SpA", Italy) against clinical strains of microorganisms isolated from the oral cavity of patients with periodontitis. Thus, further studies on the role of spore probiotics in correction of the oral cavity microflora as a part of complex treatment of periodontitis should be carried out.