It is obvious that spices have been used to enhance the flavor of food for centuries, but what other uses do they possess? This question was posed in the hopes of discovering antimicrobial properties in various household spices. Garlic ( Allium sativum ), cinnamon ( Cinnamomum zeylanicum ) , and clove ( Syzygium aromaticum ) were chosen to examine their effects on the bacteria Streptococcus mutans. To obtain an extract from the spices, an aqueous extraction method combined with filtration was used. The extracted compounds were applied to the bacteria through the paper disk diffusion method. The same disk diffusion method was then used to examine commercial mouthwashes and synergistic effects of the spices on the S. mutans. After incubation, the amount of bacteria revealed no inhibition from the spices. There was, however, inhibition when the bacteria were exposed to the mouthwashes. Overall, the results were inconclusive, but it is likely that the method of extraction used for the spices prevented inhibition from being observed