Anticalculus efficacy of an antiseptic mouthrinse containing zinc chloride

Background. The authors undertook a controlled clinical study to determine the efficacy of a tartar-control antiseptic mouthrinse in inhibiting the de velopment of supragingival dental calculus. Methods. After undergoing a dental prophylaxis, 334 subjects with a moderat e rate of calculus formation were stratified and randomly assigned to one o f three groups: positive control (using a tartar-control toothpaste and an antiseptic rinse), negative positive control (using a regular toothpaste an d an antiseptic mouthrinse) or experimental (using a regular dentifrice and a tartar-control mouthrinse). Subjects brushed and rinsed twice daily, uns upervised, for four months. The researchers assessed subjects' calculus lev els using the Volpe-Manhold Index, or VMI, after 16 weeks. Results. Using analysis of covariance, the authors found that both the expe rimental group (which used a tartar-control rinse containing zinc chloride) and the positive central group (which used a tartar-control dentifrice con taining pyrophosphate) demonstrated statistically significantly lower VMI s cores (P = .001) than negative control group (which used a regular dentifri ce and an antiseptic rinse). Both anticalculus agents provided a clinically relevant 21 percent reduction in calculus formation Conclusion. An antiseptic mouthrinse containing 0.09 percent zinc chloride as the anticalculus agent provides a clinically relevant reduction in calcu lus formation: in people with a moderate rate of such formation. Clinical Implications. A tartar-control mouthrinse with zinc chloride as th e tartar-control ingredient is clinically effective in reducing the formati on of calculus.