Description
This chapter delves into the microbial properties of natural extracts from vegetables and spices in preventing dental caries, one of the most prevalent oral diseases. It highlights the antimicrobial activities of various plant-derived products against Streptococcus mutans, the primary pathogen of dental caries. The chapter provides a detailed methodology for demonstrating the antibacterial effects of extracts from cucumber, lemon, tomato, mint, coriander, and ginger, offering a natural, effective alternative to chemical-based oral hygiene products. The antimicrobial activity is tested using the agar well diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each extract is determined.