Purpose: This study was conducted to compare dental plaque scores obtained through clinical examinations and various imaging techniques, as well as to assess the effectiveness of herbal and conventional toothpastes for plaque removal. Materials and Methods: Thirty volunteers were divided into 3 groups. Each group was given a different toothpaste (from 2 herbal toothpastes and a conventional toothpaste) with which to brush their teeth for 21 days. Both initially and after brushing, dental plaque samples were collected, and plaque on the buccal surfaces of anterior teeth was scoredusing several imaging systems after staining with a disclosing agent. Specifically, digital dental photography, intraoral digital scanning, and FluoreCam imaging were employed to capture intraoral images. The Turesky Modified QuigleyHein Plaque Index was used for clinical examination and image analysis. Quantitative polymerase chain reactionanalyses and correlational assessments between clinical examination and imaging scores were conducted before and after toothpaste use. The Shapiro-Wilk test and Pearson correlations were utilized. Results: The lowest mean value was observed in the clinical examination without staining, while the highest was obtained using the FluoreCam method. No significant change was found in the level of any microorganism assessed following toothpaste use (P<0.05), with the exception of a decrease in S. mutans levels after using conventional toothpaste (P<0.05). Conclusion Herbal toothpaste demonstrated plaque-removal effectiveness comparable to that of conventional toothpaste. The use of imaging methods for measuring plaque index has been suggested as a means to educate patients about plaque control and promote ongoing oral care.

Objective To investigate the effects of plant-derived phenolic compounds (i.e. caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid and vanillic acid) on the production of quorum sensing regulated virulence factors such as pyocyanin, biofilm formation and swarming motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolates. Methods Fourteen clinical P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from urine samples and P. aeruginosa PA01 strain were included in the study. The antibacterial effects of phenolic compounds were screened by well diffusion assay. Pyocyanin and biofilm activity were measured from culture supernatants and the absorbance values were measured using a spectrophotometer. Swarming plates supplemented with phenolic acids were point inoculated with P. aeruginosa strains and the ability to swarm was determined by measuring the distance of swarming from the central inoculation site. Results Tested phenolic compounds reduced the production of pyocyanin and biofilm formation without affecting growth compared to untreated cultures. Moreover, these compounds blocked about 50% of biofilm production and swarming motility in P. aeruginosa isolates. Conclusions We may suggest that if swarming and consecutive biofilm formation could be inhibited by the natural products as shown in our study, the bacteria could not attach to the surfaces and produce chronic infections. Antimicrobials and natural products could be combined and the dosage of antimicrobials could be reduced to overcome antimicrobial resistance and drug side effects.