Mjm. Schaeken et al., THE EFFECT OF MOUTHRINSES CONTAINING ZINC AND TRICLOSAN ON PLAQUE ACCUMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GINGIVITIS IN A 3-WEEK CLINICAL-TEST, Journal of clinical periodontology, 21(5), 1994, pp. 360-364
Experimental mouthrinses containing 0.4% zinc sulphate and 0.15% tricl
osan were compared with a chlorhexidine and a negative control mouthri
nse in a 3-week clinical trial. The zinc/triclosan mouthrinses 1 and 2
differed in their ethanol and humectant contents used to deliver the
triclosan. The experimental protocol employed the partial mouth gingiv
itis design, whereby participants wear a toothshield during toothbrush
ing. Gingival health at baseline was established by professional clean
ing, oral hygiene instruction and effective toothbrushing 3 x per day
during a pre-experimental period of 2 weeks. The mouthrinses were subs
equently used 2 x daily following normal toothbrushing during 3 weeks.
The pre-experimental oral hygiene phase very effectively reduced plaq
ue levels and gingival bleeding. During the rinsing period, in the abs
ence of mechanical removal of plaque from the protected teeth, gingiva
l bleeding rose to above the prestudy level in the negative control gr
oup. The increments (change from baseline to 21 days) of plaque and bl
eeding scores for the zinc/triclosan mouthrinse 1 were significantly l
ower than those in the negative control group. As expected, plaque and
gingivitis scores were lowest in the group that rinsed with chlorhexi
dine. The results extend previous observations on the efficacy of the
zinc/triclosan system to maintain gingival health.