Several components are used to aid in oral hygiene and anti-plaque prevention. These include:Chlorhexidine. A powerful antiseptic used in various oral hygiene products, such as mouthwashes and gels. Chlorhexidine is effective in reducing bacterial plaque and preventing gingivitis. It is known for its ability to adhere to oral surfaces and provide p... (Read the full Tiiip)
Several components are used to aid in oral hygiene and anti-plaque prevention. These include:Chlorhexidine. A powerful antiseptic used in various oral hygiene products, such as mouthwashes and gels. C ...
Several components are used to aid in oral hygiene and anti-plaque prevention. These include:
Chlorhexidine. A powerful antiseptic used in various oral hygiene products, such as mouthwashes and gels. Chlorhexidine is effective in reducing bacterial plaque and preventing gingivitis. It is known for its ability to adhere to oral surfaces and provide prolonged antibacterial action.
Lysozyme. A protein with antibacterial properties, naturally found in saliva, breast milk, and other body fluids. In the context of oral hygiene, lysozyme helps reduce harmful bacteria and can contribute to maintaining a healthy balance of oral flora (2).
Sesame Seed Oil (Sesamum indicum seed oil). Extracted from sesame seeds, this oil is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used in the practice of oil pulling, which helps reduce plaque and improve oral health. Sesame seed oil can also help strengthen gums and reduce dryness in the mouth (3).
Cetylpyridinium chloride(CPC). An antiseptic that reduces plaque and tartar, as well as combats bacteria that cause bad breath (4).
Peppermint essential oil ozone-enhancing agent in the control of microorganisms causing oral diseases in medicine (5).
Alexidine. An effective antiseptic against a wide range of microorganisms. Alexidine is similar to chlorhexidine but with a lesser tendency to cause staining on teeth. It is used in some mouthwashes and oral hygiene products for its antibacterial action.
Delmopinol. This compound helps prevent the formation of plaque and tartar. It works by interfering with the formation of bacterial biofilm on the surface of the teeth, thereby facilitating the removal of plaque during brushing. Delmopinol is often found in mouthwashes.
Hexetidine. An oral antiseptic used to treat various mouth conditions, such as gingivitis, mouth ulcers, and bad breath. Hexetidine has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is effective in reducing plaque and improving oral health.
The most effective components according to the scientific literature are in green.
Several components or factors can contribute to or exacerbate plaque formation and gingivitis. These include:
Poor oral hygiene. Failure to regularly remove plaque and tartar through brushing and flossing can lead to plaque buildup and the development of gingivitis.
Diet high in sugars and carbohydrates. Sugars and carbohydrates can be metabolized by mouth bacteria, producing acids that promote plaque formation.
Smoking and tobacco use. Smoking can compromise gum health and increase the risk of gingivitis and periodontal diseases.
Hormonal changes. Hormonal fluctuations, such as those during pregnancy or puberty, can make gums more susceptible to inflammation.
Systemic diseases. Conditions like diabetes can affect gum health and increase the risk of gingivitis.
Medications. Some medications can impact oral health, causing dry mouth or promoting excessive growth of gum tissue.
Genetics. Genetic predisposition can play a role in susceptibility to gingivitis and periodontal diseases.
Stress. Stress can negatively affect the immune system and increase the risk of gum problems.
(1) König J, Storcks V, Kocher T, Bössmann K, Plagmann HC. Anti-plaque effect of tempered 0.2% chlorhexidine rinse: an in vivo study. J Clin Periodontol. 2002 Mar;29(3):207-10. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-051x.2002.290304.x. PMID: 11940138.
Abstract. Objectives: The aim of this in vivo study was to compare the anti-plaque effect of warm and cold chlorhexidine gluconate irrigation on matured human plaque. Methods: In a split-mouth design, the antibacterial effect of 47 degrees C "warm" 0.2% chlorhexidine solution was compared with that of 18 degrees C "cold" rinse at the same concentration on newly-formed supragingival plaque that had been left undisturbed for 72 h. Before and 1 h after a 1-min rinse procedure, plaque was sampled from 10 test persons and vitality determined using vital fluorescence technique. Results: Cold and warm 0.2% chlorhexidine solution reduced plaque vitality significantly from 99.63% to 77.81% (p=0.014) and from 98.98% to 51.77% (p<0.001), respectively. Rinsing with warm chlorhexidine solution reduced plaque vitality to a significantly greater degree (p=0.003) than did cold chlorhexidine. Conclusion: In this study, warm 0.2% chlorhexidine rinse showed a significantly more intensive anti-plaque effect than cold chlorhexidine solution at the same concentration.
(2) Golac-Guzina, N., Novaković, Z., Sarajlić, Z., Šukalo, A., Džananović, J., Glamočlija, U., Kapo, B., Čordalija, V. and Mehić, M., 2019. Comparative study of the efficacy of the lysozyme, benzydamine and chlorhexidine oral spray in the treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis-results of a pilot study. Acta Medica Academica, 48(2), pp.140-146.
Abstract. Objective. Lysozyme is a natural antimicrobial and immunomodullatory enzyme, which is produced as a host response to infectious agents. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of lysozyme-based versus benzydamine and chlorhexidine-based oral spray in patients with an acute tonsillopharyngitis associaated with a common cold. Patients and Methods. A prospective two-arm pilot study (lysozyme/cetylpyridinium/lidocaine spray versus: benzydamine spray—arm 1; chlorhexidine/lidocaine spray—arm 2) was conducted in the primary health care unit. Efficacy was evaluated by the patient’s self-assessment of pain, difficulty in swallowing and the throat swelling, by using the visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline and three follow-up visits. Safety was evaluated by the assessment of the frequency and severity of adverse effects. Results. Lysozyme-based spray reduced pain faster than benzydamine-based spray and slower than chlorhexidine-based spray. Lysozyme-based and chlorhexidine-based sprays similarly reduced difficulty in swallowing, but were faster than benzydamine-based spray. Similar effects on the reduction of throat swelling were seen in all treated groups. All tested products showed proper safety and were well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. Conclusions. The lysozyme-based oral spray was shown to be effective and safe in the reduction of pain, difficulty in swallowing and throat swelling in patients with acute tonsillopharyngitis associated with a common cold. Lysozyme-based oral spray (containing natural compound with advantages of influencing immune system and preventing recurrences) had similar activity to benzydamine and chlorhexidine-based oral antiseptic sprays.
(3) Chandraprakash, R., Shivamurthy, R., Rangaraju, V. M., & Babu, H. M. Evaluation of Cocos nucifera and Sesamum indicum in comparison with Chlorhexidine on gingivitis-A double blind Clinico-Immunological study. International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, 12(3), 618-622.
Abstract. Background: Myriad of synthetic products has been used in chemical plaque control. There is a constant search for cost effective herbal products with minimal adverse effect to substitute synthetic compounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of Cocos nucifera and Sesamum indicum and compare their effect with commercially available chlorhexidine on gingivitis. Methods: In this double blind, randomized, control clinical trial, a total of 45 samples from patients aged between 18 to 35 years reporting to the institution, diagnosed with gingivitis were selected and randomly divided into Group-A (Scaling + Cocos Nuciferamouthwash), Group-B (Scaling + Sesamum Indicum mouthwash) and Group C (Scaling + Chlorhexidine mouthwash). Clinical (Plaque index, Gingival index and Sulcus bleeding index), and Immunological (Interleukin-6) parameters were assessed at baseline and 45th day following scaling. Saliva samples were collected and stored at -200C till they were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis. Inferential statistics done were analysis of variance, paired t test, post hock Scheffe test and Chi- square test by using SPSS software (22.0). Results: In Clinical parameters, group B (p˂0.001) showed statistical significant reduction compared to group A and group C. In Immunological parameter group A (p˂0.001) showed statistical significant reduction in Interleukin-6 compared to group B and group C (p=0.126 & p=0.196 respectively). Conclusion: Cocos nucifera and Sesamum indicum mouth washes effectively decreased plaque formation and could be used as an adjunct to scaling in treating plaque induced gingivitis.
(4) Van der Weijden FA, Van der Sluijs E, Ciancio SG, Slot DE. Can Chemical Mouthwash Agents Achieve Plaque/Gingivitis Control? Dent Clin North Am. 2015 Oct;59(4):799-829. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2015.06.002.
Abstract. Also note that structured abstracts are not allowed per journal style: What is the effect of a mouthwash containing various active chemical ingredients on plaque control and managing gingivitis in adults based on evidence gathered from existing systematic reviews? The summarized evidence suggests that mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine(CHX) and essential oils (EO) had a large effect supported by a strong body of evidence. Also there was strong evidence for a moderate effect of cetylpyridinium chloride(CPC). Evidence suggests that a CHX mouthwash is the first choice, the most reliable alternative is EO. No difference between CHX and EO with respect to gingivitis was observed.
(5) Floare AD, Dumitrescu R, Alexa VT, Balean O, Szuhanek C, Obistioiu D, Cocan I, Neacsu AG, Popescu I, Fratila AD, Galuscan A. Enhancing the Antimicrobial Effect of Ozone with Mentha piperita Essential Oil. Molecules. 2023 Feb 21;28(5):2032. doi: 10.3390/molecules28052032.
Abstract. This study aimed to obtain and analyse Mentha piperita essential oil (MpEO) for the prospect of being used as an enhancement agent for the antimicrobial potential of ozone against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The research was done for different exposure times, and it gained time–dose relationships and time–effect correlations. Mentha piperita (Mp) essential oil (MpEO) was obtained via hydrodistillation and further analysed by using GC-MS. The broth microdilution assay was used to determine the strain inhibition/strain mass growth by using spectrophotometric optical density reading (OD). The bacterial/mycelium growth rates (BGR/MGR) and the bacterial/mycelium inhibition rates (BIR/MIR) after ozone treatment in the presence and absence of MpEO on the ATTC strains were calculated; the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and statistical interpretations of the time–dose relationship and specific t-test correlations were determined. The effect of ozone on the following tested strains at maximum efficiency was observed after 55 s of single ozone exposure, in order of effect strength: S. aureus > P. aeruginosa > E. coli > C. albicans > S. mutans. For ozone with the addition of 2% MpEO (MIC), maximum efficacy was recorded at 5 s for these strains, in order of effect strength: C. albicans > E. coli > P. aeruginosa > S. aureus > S. mutans. The results suggest a new development and affinity regarding the cell membrane of the different microorganisms tested. In conclusion, the use of ozone, combined with MpEO, is sustained as an alternative therapy in plaque biofilm and suggested as helpful in controlling oral disease-causing microorganisms in medicine.
