THE EFFICACY OF PREPROCEDURAL MOUTH RINSE OF 0.2percent CHLORHEXIDINE AND COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE HERBAL MOUTH RINSE CONTAINING SALVADORA PERSICA IN REDUCING THE BACTERIAL LOAD IN SALIVA AND AEROSOL PRODUCED DURING SCALING

Abstract

Aim: This study is conducted to evaluate the efficacy of pre procedural mouth rinses, in reducing the bacterial count in the oral cavity which in turn could reduce the risk in generating aerosol.

 Objectives:

1. To compare the effectiveness of herbal mouthwash as a pre procedural mouth rinse over 0.2percent chlorhexidine mouthwash in reducing the bacterial count in saliva.
2. To determine the extent of the spread and to assess the  amount of contamination in the clinical environment by collecting the aerosol at 1 foot, 2 feet and 3 feet distance after the pre procedural mouth rinsing with herbal mouthwash and 0.2percent chlorhexidine mouthwash.
3. To know whether the reduction of bacterial count in the saliva has any effect on the expected proportionate reduction of the aerosol production in the two groups of patient with herbal and chlorhexidine mouthwash.

Material and methods: A total of 30 patients were selected and randomly divided into three groups. Group I consists of 10 patients who rinsed with normal saline for 60 seconds. Group II consists of 10 patients who rinsed with 0.2percent chlorhexidine mouthwash for 60 seconds. Group III consists of 10 patients who rinsed with herbal mouthwash for 60 seconds. Salivary sample were collected in sterile disposable container before the mouth rinse and 5 minutes after the mouth rinsing. The samples were subjected to bacteriological analysis to estimate the total bacterial count. Aerosols produced during the oral prophylaxis procedure were collected on BHI agar plates by exposing the plates at 1 foot, 2 feet and 3 feet distance and the exposed plates were incubated at 37°c aerobically for 24 hours. The number of colony forming units (CFU) in aerosol and CFU in the saliva were counted and statistically analyzed. Care was taken to exclude the bacterial colonies that were of non oral origin.

Results: Reduction in the bacterial load using 0.2percent of chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash is found to be significant in both saliva and aerosol produced during scaling. Although the CFU is reduced to 99.91percent in saliva, the reduction is not proportionate in the aerosol produced among the same group.

Conclusion: Chlorhexidine mouthwash as a pre procedural rinse is more effective than the herbal mouthwash. Preprocedural rinse has a definite benefit in the treatment perspective but as aimed, the reduction in the bacterial load in saliva has not proportionately decrease the bacterial load in the aerosol.

Key words : Dental aerosol, Splatter, Pre procedural mouth rinse, Chlorhexidine mouthwash, Herbal mouthwash, Dental plaque, Bacterial load in aerosol, Bacterial load in saliva