The two new CHX mouthrinses were able to inhibit plaque re-growth and gingivitis. Neither the omission of alcohol nor the supplementation with sodium fluoride had weakened the clinical efficacy of CHX with respect to the analysed clinical parameters.

The purpose of this 4-day plaque regrowth study was to assess the effect of N-chlorotaurine (NCT) mouth rinses on plaque inhibition and plaque vitality. Eighty volunteers participated in this investigator-blind, randomized, clinical controlled study in parallel groups. No oral hygiene was permitted except rinsing with a 2% or 3% NCT mouth rinse, a positive or a negative control. Primary parameters were the plaque index (Silness and Löe, Acta Odontol Scand, 22:121-135, 1964) and plaque vitality (Netuschil et al., J Clin Periodontol, 16:484-488, 1989) after the final rinse. In addition, another plaque index (Turesky et al., J Periodontol, 41:41-43, 1970), plaque area, and bleeding on probing were recorded. All parameters were taken at baseline and day 5. U test was applied on a 5% error level. No differences in plaque inhibition were found between the two NCT formulations and the negative control. However, a statistically significant reduction of plaque vitality compared to the negative and positive control was observed. Discoloration of the tongue and unpleasant taste were recorded in participants in the NCT groups. NCT mouth rinses did not inhibit plaque regrowth, but they did reduce the vitality of plaque bacteria. Methods of prolonging the substantivity of the NCT mouth rinses should be investigated to enhance the antibacterial properties of these formulations.

The aim of this double-blind, 28-week study was to evaluate the plaque-inhibitory and antigingivitis efficacy of a fluoride toothpaste containing 0.3% triclosan and essential oil (Dental Kosmetik, Dresden, Germany) in comparison with a control toothpaste. One hundred twenty subjects previously treated for chronic periodontitis were included in the study. At baseline, 8, 18, and 28 weeks, plaque accumulation (PlI) and gingival status (GI) were assessed. Probing pocket depth (PD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) were measured at baseline and week 28 using a Florida probe. No professional hygiene was delivered during the study period. Mean plaque scores decreased between baseline and week 8 in both groups. At the end of the study, a significant increase of mean PlI compared to baseline could be observed in the test and in the control groups. Comparing the two groups, the PlI in the triclosan group was significantly lower than in the control group. Mean gingival scores decreased significantly during the first 8-week period in both groups. This reduction was followed by an increase of GI in the control, while the GI in the test group reached a significantly lower value than in controls after 28 weeks. Furthermore, at week 28, in both groups the PD were decreased as compared to the pre-study data. It is concluded that the triclosan/essential oil additive in a fluoride-containing dentifrice exhibited distinctive antigingivitis as well as plaque-inhibitory effects during a 28-week maintenance period in periodontitis patients.

The aim of this randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, blind clinical study was to examine the dental plaque and the gingivitis inhibitory effects of two low-dose 0.06% chlorhexidine (CHX) preparations in comparison to a commercially available 0.1% CHX solution, an amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (ASF) solution and a water control as an adjunct to the daily mechanical oral-hygiene measures. After prophylaxis, 81 medical students performed their tooth cleaning and were asked to rinse for 30 s, according to the instructions given by the manufacturers with the assigned amount of the following solutions: once daily 10 ml ASF 250 ppm or twice daily each 10 ml CHX 0.06% with fluoride, 10 ml CHX 0.06% without fluoride, 15 ml CHX 0.1% or 100 ml tap water. The plaque index (PlI), the gingival index (GI) and the discoloration index (DI) were taken at day -14 and months (M) 0, 1, 2, 3 and 6. In this study group with good oral hygiene, all test products led to a reduction of the PlI scores when used as supplements to the usual mechanical hygiene measures. At M3 subjects using both the 0.1% as well as the 0.06% CHX showed significantly less plaque accumulation than those using ASF. In the GI a significant difference between the control and 0.1 % CHX was found at M3 and at M6. If a further decrease in the GI is wanted, a minimum concentration of 0.1% CHX for long-term use in association with habitual cleaning is needed, which, however, should be limited to special patients. If maintaining clinical health is the goal, the other solutions are a good alternative to 0.1% CHX because they exhibit less staining.