Development of antibacterial denture cleaner for brushing containing tea tree and lemongrass essential oils

Abstract

We evaluated effectiveness of tea tree oil (TO) and lemongrass oil (LO) for removal of Candida biofilm from denture base resin and their influence on that surface. Biofilm of C. albicans was formed on resins, and immersed in various concentrations of each oil and distilled water (DW). The biofilm removal effect was determined by incubating specimens in RPMI medium containing Alamar blue (AB) and measuring absorbance. Wear test was also conducted, and surface condition of resins was determined using laser scanning microscope and digital microscope. Specimens immersed in the TO and LO solutions tended to have a lower AB value at higher concentrations and longer soaking times. Use of these agents resulted in less surface roughness as compared to DW. Our results suggest that TO and LO were valid to remove biofilm attached to resin with lower levels of abrasion, and these are effective for use in denture cleaner.

Effect of toothbrush/dentifrice abrasion on weight variation, surface roughness, surface morphology and hardness of conventional and CAD/CAM denture base materials

“…Manual brushing was simulated to investigate its effects on different materials. The testing device provides a 200-g vertical load for toothbrushing on each specimen during horizontal movements throughout the tests 24) . The specimens were brushed with a total of 50,000 reciprocal strokes which was considered to simulate denture cleaning for approximately 5 years 24) .…”

Lemongrass oil disrupts the biofilm of Candida albicans MTCC 1637T on soft denture reliners at lower concentrations compared to thyme and tea tree oils

“…Dentures can be properly maintained with the use of several methods, including mechanical cleansing methods, such as brushing with a brush; chemical cleansing methods, like soaking in commercial denture cleansers; ultrasonic cleaning methods; and combinations of each [6,7]. Soaking in disinfectant solutions with chemical reagents manifests to be an effective procedure to reduce the number of contaminating organisms, but some chemical agents used for denture cleaning are known to damage acrylic resin and metal alloy materials [8].…”

“…Plant essential oils are known to produce analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects [12]. Amidst such products, tea tree oil (TTO) and lemongrass oil (LGO) have been tested against several different bacteria and Candida species, which showed their antibacterial activities [6,13].…”

Effectiveness of Oil-Based Denture Dentifrices-Organoleptic Characteristics, Physicochemical Properties and Antimicrobial Action

“…In addition to the abrasive agent, the disinfectant plays an important role in oral hygiene [17]. For this purpose, the literature has reported the possibility of using herbal products, since they have resulted in enhancing the antimicrobial, anti-biofilm, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant action of these products [22][23][24][25][26][27]. Among the natural components used for dental application, antimicrobial activity has been demonstrated by the oils of Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth, Copaifera officinalis, Curcuma longa, Eucalyptus citriodora, Melaleuca alternifolia, Pinus strobus, and Ricinus communis, and these could be used as active principles in cleaning products [28][29][30][31][32][33][34].…”