Comparative evaluation of efficacy of sodium fluoride, chlorhexidine and triclosan mouth rinses in reducing the mutans streptococci count in saliva : an in vivo study.

The primary objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of sodium fluoride (0.05%), chlorhexidine (0.12%) and triclosan (0.3%) mouth rinses in reducing the mutans streptococci count in saliva. 60 subjects in the age group of 12 to 14 years were selected from the schools of Mumbai and were equally divided into 4 groups. First 3 groups were test groups and the 4th group was control group. The subjects were instructed to rinse one full marked measure of mouth rinse for 1 minute, twice daily. Salivary samples were collected at baseline and after 2 weeks and cultured on M.S.B.agar. The number of mutans streptococci colonies were counted on agar medium. The results of the study confirmed that chlorhexidine mouth rinses are more efficient in reducing mutans streptococci count in saliva as compared to other mouth rinses.

Energy intake & resting metabolic rate of young Indian men & women.

Energy intake, body weight and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were measured on seven days consecutively, in 20 men and 14 women on ad libitum food intake under free-living conditions. These measurements were repeated in 8 men and 9 women twice with an interval of two months. Mean energy intake (EI) as measured by 'Weightment' method, was 2820 +/- 577 kcal/d in men and 1611 +/- 147 kcal/d in women. EI showed significant differences between weeks (P less than 0.01, CV = 13.1% in men and 9.5% in women) and between subjects (P less than 0.05, CV = 13.7% in men and 9.8% in women). Intra individual variance contributed up to 60 to 70 per cent of the total variance in EI in both the groups. RMR measured by using Oxylog, varied between the three periods (CV = 6% in men and 5.9% in women) and between subjects (CV = 5.7% in men and 12.3% in women). Mean RMR of both men and women was lower than the predicted value by FAO/WHO/UNU equation. Estimate of mean 24 h energy expenditure, using activity diary and factorial method, in the first round was 2458 +/- 144 kcal in men and 1655 +/- 172 in women, resulting in an energy balance of 308 kcal in men and -44 kcal/d in women. The pattern of activity remained the same in the three rounds for both groups. There were no significant changes in weight (CV-1.6%) or per cent body fat during the study period (P greater than 0.1).