Antibacterial potential of essential oils against oral pathogenic bacteria: A literature and clinical review

Abstract The human oral microbiome is a complex ecosystem, comprising diverse microbial species in symbiotic relationships. Environmental factors such as diet, immune response, and inflammation can disrupt the balance of the oral microbiome, leading to increased activity and proliferation of pathogenic species associated with oral diseases. In response to global dental problems, there is a burgeoning interest in exploiting the antibacterial properties of essential oils (EOs) for clinical applications, being promising alternative to traditional antiseptics. This review synthesizes literature on the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of plant-derived EOs and their effectiveness against key oral pathogenic bacteria, which belong to the so-called ‘red’, ‘orange’, ‘purple’, ‘yellow’, and ‘green’ complexes, and includes newly discovered oral bacteria. Furthermore, it examines clinical investigations into oral hygiene products infused with EOs, evaluating their antiplaque, antigingivitis properties, and effectiveness in reducing tartar formation and gingival bleeding. Overall, this review highlights the high antibacterial efficacy of EOs against oral bacteria and their potential therapeutic abilities. It is expected that they will be used as a potential alternative for chemical preservatives in oral care products in the future. Based on the searched clinical studies, EO-based oral care products seem to be effective in the treatment of dental problems, such as e.g. dental plaque, gingivitis, and caries.