The effects of water and chloroform extracts of five Nigerian chewing stick plants namely Fagara zanthoxyloides (fasa kwari) root Prosopis africana (kiryaa) stem/root, Guiera senegalensis (sabaaraa) stem, Khaya senegalensis (Madachi) stem/root and Azadirachta indica (Dogonyaro) stem/root on odontopathogens; Eikenella corrodens and Staphyllococcus aureus, which causes tooth decay in humans, was investigated. The isolates obtained from Dental Laboratory stock cultures of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto, Nigeria were treated with water and chloroform extracts of these plants for antibacterial activity using invitro well diffusion method. Residues of the extracts were made into suspensions using sterile distilled water at concentrations of (10mg/ml, 30mg/ml, 60mg/ml and 80mg/ml). K. senegalensis was the most effective followed by A. indica. The effectiveness of various extracts against E. corrodens and S. aureus, were in the decreasing order of Khaya senegalensis, A. indica, F. zanthoxyloides, P. africana and G. senegalensis. Extracts of G. senegalensis showed poor antibacterial activities. The leaves extracts of these plants at concentrations below 60mg/ml distorted the growth pattern of E. corrodens while Streptococcus sp. showed appreciable sensitivity at extract concentration of 80mg/ml. The chloroform extract was observed to show a greater distortion in growth pattern than the water extract. Distortions in the growth patterns of these odontopathogens and subsequent inhibition in growth at higher concentrations suggests that these plants may be valuable in the management of human oral infections.

Keywords: oral infections, odontopathogens, plant chewing sticks stock cultures