EFFECT OF AN ANTISEPTIC MOUTHRINSE ON SALIVARY MICROBIOTA

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of rinsing with original formulation L isterine Antiseptic (LA) on the level of viable salivary bacteria for periods up to 1 hour. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind, con trolled, cross-over study, unstimulated saliva was collected from 25 s ubjects, serially diluted, and cultured on selective and non-selective media under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Streptococci, Veillonel la sp., and total aerobic and anaerobic flora were enumerated just pri or to and 2, 15, 30, and 60 minutes after rinsing for 30 seconds with either 20 mi of LA or a 5% hydroalcohol control rinse. Results: After the control rinse, total flora cultivated on MM10 agar exhibited a non significant (P> 0.05) 10%-20% decrease relative to baseline. In contra st, rinsing with LA resulted in a significant (P< 0.05) 60%-65% decrea se from baseline in all four microbial groups at 2 minutes; except in the case of Veillonella, the significant decreases were sustained up t o 60 minutes. Total Listerine group aerobic, anaerobic and streptococc al counts were significantly lower than placebo (P< 0.05). The signifi cant reduction in salivary bacterial levels seen in the Listerine grou p for up to 60 minutes suggests that this antiseptic mouthrinse may ha ve use clinically as a pre-procedural rinse to decrease the level of v iable microorganisms in aerosols generated during dental procedures.