Effects of thyme on halitosis in gingivitis patients: Can thyme mouthwash prevent halitosis—A randomized trial

Abstract

Objectives Bad breath is a condition that negatively affects people's social interactions and quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thyme mouthwash on intraoral halitosis, gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI) in patients with gingivitis. Methods In this retrospective study, 60 gingivitis patients (30 women/30 men) received initial periodontal treatment followed by oral hygiene instructions (OHI) and then were divided into four groups: The control group (C) received only OHI, while chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash was prescribed to the CHX group, Zinc acetate and CHX diacetate mouthwash was prescribed to the zinc acetate and CHX diacetate (ZnA) group, and the thyme (T) group was instructed to use thyme mouthwash. GI, PI and volatile sulfur compound (VSC) values were recorded at baseline and at the first week of treatment. Results The initial values of the recorded parameters did not differ significantly between the groups. In all groups, VSCs, GI and PI decreased after treatment (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the PI values of the groups after treatment (p = 0.188). On the contrary, the GI and VSC values after treatment were significantly different between the groups (p = 0.001). GI values were highest in the control group and lowest in the CHX group. In terms of VSCs, a significant difference was found between groups T and C, and between groups T and ZnA (p = 0.001). Conclusion This study showed that the use of thyme mouthwash after periodontal treatment was effective in improving bad breath and gingivitis in gingivitis patients.