EXPERIMENTS WITH 2-PHASE PLAQUE INHIBITING MOUTHRINSES

Reports indicate that oil/water mouthrinses with an aqueous phase cont aining an antibacterial agent, reduce the amount of volatile bacterial products in expiration air compared with aqueous mouthrinses. These s ystems have not, however, been tested concerning antiplaque activity. The aim of the present study was to examine the plaque-inhibiting effe ct of a mouthrinse with an aqueous phase containing 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) and an oily phase (soya oil) containing 0.3% triclosan. A test panel rinsed with the mouthrinses twice daily for 4 d. The mouthrinse containing CHX and triclosan in two phases was significantly better th an the negative control (water). However, it was not as effective as t he rinse consisting of an aqueous phase with chlorhexidine combined wi th an oily phase without triclosan. A two-phase mouthrinse with soya o il containing 0.3% triclosan was not superior to soya oil alone, and t he combination of CHX and triclosan in a two-phase rinse was not as ef fective as 0.1% CHX alone in water. No beneficial effect on plaque inh ibition could thus be found by using a two-phase system with two diffe rent antibacterial agents (one water soluble and one lipid soluble). S oya oil without triclosan rendered higher plaque inhibition than the c ontrol, presumably due to formation of a hydrophobic layer on the toot h surfaces.