Effect of rinsing with an essential oil-containing mouthrinse on subgingival periodontopathogens.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that the nature and amount of supragingival plaque can influence the composition of the contiguous subgingival flora. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rinsing with an essential oil antimicrobial mouthrinse on levels of representative subgingival bacteria in subjects with mild to moderate periodontitis. METHODS: This controlled study used a randomized, double-masked, 2 x 2 crossover design. After baseline subgingival sampling, 37 qualifying subjects rinsed with the essential oil mouthrinse or a negative control twice daily for 14 days, with a post-treatment sample obtained on day 15. Following a washout period, the procedure was repeated with the alternative rinse. Target organisms enumerated were Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Veillonella sp., and total anaerobes. Intergroup comparisons of post-treatment log-transformed colony forming unit counts were made using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: After 14 days of twice-daily rinsing, the level of each of the target subgingival organisms was significantly lower in the essential oil group than in the control group (P < 0.001), with percent reductions ranging from 66.3% to 79.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Rinsing with the essential oil antiplaque/antigingivitis mouthrinse can have significant antimicrobial activity against subgingival periodontopathogens. Most likely, the antimicrobial effect was mediated primarily by disruption of the contiguous supragingival plaque by the mouthrinse. Because studies have shown that control of supragingival plaque can influence the onset and/or progression of periodontitis, additional studies on non-prescription antimicrobial oral care products may lead to new regimens for decreasing the burden of periodontal diseases in the population.

Effect of an essential oil-containing antimicrobial mouthrinse on specific plaque bacteria in vivo.

AIM: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of rinsing with an essential oil-containing mouthrinse on levels of specific supra and subgingival bacteria in subjects with gingivitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifteen subjects meeting entry criteria completed this randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover study. Subjects were required to have >or=1000 target organisms per millilitre in pooled samples from two subgingival sites. Following sampling of supra and subgingival plaque, subjects began twice-daily rinsing for 14 days with either an essential oil-containing mouthrinse (Cool Mint Listerine Antiseptic) or a negative control. Supra and subgingival plaque was again sampled on day 15, and the procedure repeated after a 1-week washout period with subjects using the alternate rinse. RESULTS: Compared with the negative control, the essential oil mouthrinse produced significant reductions in supragingival plaque levels of Veillonella sp., Capnocytophaga sp., Fusobacterium nucleatum, and total anaerobes ranging from 52.3 to 88.5% (p<0.001 except for Veillonella, p=0.002); respective reductions in subgingival plaque ranged from 54.1 to 69.1% (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Rinsing with the essential oil mouthrinse can have an impact on the subgingival plaque flora. This study provides additional evidence indicating that reduction in supragingival plaque can reduce levels of subgingival plaque.