THE EFFECT OF MOUTHRINSES CONTAINING ZINC AND TRICLOSAN ON PLAQUE ACCUMULATION, DEVELOPMENT OF GINGIVITIS AND FORMATION OF CALCULUS IN A 28-WEEK CLINICAL-TEST

Experimental mouthrinses containing 0.4% zinc sulphate and 0.15% tricl osan, which differed in base formulations were compared to a commercia lly available non-active control mouthrinse. Following baseline clinic al examinations for plaque, gingival bleeding and calculus, the volunt eers were provided with a dental prophylaxis and given oral hygiene in struction, stratified into 3 groups and given 1 of 3 mouthrinses. Furt her clinical assessments were performed after 4, 16 and 28 weeks. Sali vary mutans streptococci were also monitored during the study. At 4 we eks, plaque and calculus scores in all groups were low compared to bas eline. During the remainder of the study, these improvements were not maintained and both plaque and calculus levels increased in all groups . Plaque was significantly lower (P<0.05) than in the control at all t ime points. Calculus was significantly lower at week 28 for experiment al mouthrinse group 2. Gingival bleeding also decreased in the initial 4 weeks but increased thereafter in the control group. In contrast, g ingival bleeding was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the two experimen tal groups than in the control group. No significant changes in mutans streptococci were observed.