RESUMEN
Chronic renal failure is a progressive disease caused by the damage of the functional unit of the kidney, the nephron. Periodontal diseases are common among renal failure patients; however this relationship is not clearly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral hygiene habits and its impact on periodontal status in end stage renal disease [ESRD] patients. Eighty ESRD patients attending the Tygerberg Hospital Renal Unit and stable on haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis for at least 3 months participated in the study. Patient demographics, smoking status and type of dialysis were obtained from the patient's file. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire about their oral hygiene habits. The periodontal examination was done by a single blinded examiner. The periodontal examination included assessment of gingival index [GI], bleeding on probing [BoP], probing depths [PD] and clinical attachment loss [CAL]. All periodontal examinations were confined to the six 'Ramjford teeth'. The presence of one sextant showing GI >/= 2, PD > 4 mm or CAL > 3 mm and positive bleeding on probing was considered diagnostic of periodontal disease. Mean age of the participants was 50.3 +/- 9.06 years; with a median time on dialysis therapy of 24 months [range 3-156 months], Forty-six [57.5%] subjects were diagnosed as having periodontal disease. Forty subjects [50%] reported brushing twice a day [BD] and six [7.5%] three times a day [TDS]. Most of them [85%] never used dental floss. Only 22.5% used mouth wash in their daily routine and majority of them [70%] visited their dentist only in case of some dental problem. There was statistically significant difference in the periodontal status with regards to brushing frequency, use of mouth wash and visit to dentist. However, no significant difference was found for the use of floss. Oral hygiene habits show significant impact on the periodontal status of ESRD patients
RESUMEN
Mechanical plaque control is the most effective way in preventing periodontal diseases. However, due to some drawbacks in the mechanical methods, chemical plaque control methods have been recommended. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of an Essential Oil mouth rinse [Listerine] on plaque formation in interproximal areas as compared to Chlorhexidine and Sterile water. The study was an observer-blind, 4-day plaque regrowth, cross over study. The study was con-ducted at the faculty of dentistry, University of Western Cape. 60 dental students aged 16-34 years with a minimum of 20 natural teeth participated voluntarily in the study. Exclusion criteria were established. An informed consent was taken prior to the start of the study. The students used one mouth rinse for 4 days as the only oral hygiene method and then plaque was scored using Silness and Loe plaque index. The same technique was used for the 2nd and 3rd experimental period with the other two mouth rinses with an identical wash out phase of two weeks. The mean plaque index scores for the Listerine mouth wash were 0.94 +/- 0.18, for Chlorhexidine 0.54 +/- 0.09 and for sterile water were 1.54 +/- 0.08. Mean percentage of full mouth plaque free surfaces for the use of Listerine mouth wash was 25 +/- 4.32, 54 +/- 5.84 and 13 +/- 4.46 for Chlorhexidine and sterile water respectively. Mean percentage for interproximal plaque free surfaces [IPFS] for different mouth rinses were also calculated and were 22 +/- 4.84 for Listerine mouth rinse, 42 +/- 5.18 for Chlorhexidine and 9 +/- 3.78 for sterile water. Analysis of variance and construction of 95% confidence intervals showed that both Chlorhexidine and Essential Oils significantly reduced plaque as compared to sterile water. The findings of this study suggest that although Essential Oils can reduce plaque formation but their effectiveness is lesser than Chlorhexidine