The antibacterial and antifungal activity of essential oils extracted from Guatemalan medicinal plants.

Context: Essential oils are prevalent in many medicinal plants used for oral hygiene and treatment of diseases.

Objective: Medicinal plant species were extracted to determine the essential oil content. Those producing sufficient oil were screened for activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Candida albicans.