THE EFFECT OF OXIDIZING MOUTHRINSES COMPARED WITH CHLORHEXIDINE ON SALIVARY BACTERIAL COUNTS AND PLAQUE REGROWTH

For various clinical indications, oxidising agents have been used in d entistry for many years. Little is known, however, of their antibacter ial activity and their ability to inhibit plaque formation. In this st udy, 2 mouthrinses containing peroxyborate (Bocasan) and peroxycarbona te (Kavosan) were compared alongside a negative control saline rinse a nd a positive control chlorhexidine rinse (Corsodyl) for their ability to inhibit plaque reformation. Employing a randomised four replicate 4 x 4 latin square cross over design and, whilst omitting all other or al hygiene, plaque was measured by area and index after rinsing for 4 days. In a second study, in vivo antibacterial effects of the rinses w ere assessed by measuring salivary bacterial counts following single r inses with the preparations at various time intervals over 7 h. Plaque inhibition by chlorhexidine was significantly greater than the other rinses. All rinses were significantly better than the saline rinse at inhibiting plaque. For plaque area, the peroxycarbonate rinse was sign ificantly better than the peroxyborate rinse at inhibiting plaque. Sal ivary bacterial count reductions were significantly greater compared t o saline with chlorhexidine at all time intervals up to 7 h. Whilst bo th peroxyborate and peroxycarbonate rinses produced greater reductions in bacterial counts than saline up to 3 h, at no time interval were t he differences significant. The findings of these studies would sugges t oxidising mouthrinses may inhibit plaque formation not by a direct a ntibacterial effect, but by some other mechanism. The magnitude of pla que reductions obtained with the peroxyborate and more so peroxycarbon ate rinses would suggst a need for further study of these preparations when used as adjuncts to normal toothbrushing.