Short- and long term antibacterial effects of a single rinse with different mouthwashes: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Objectives: Reducing the microbial level in the aerosol created during dental procedures is essential to avoiding infections. The aim of this study was to examine the change in Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and the total bacterial load in human saliva in vivo after a single rinse with different mouthwashes.

Material and methods: One mL of unstimulated saliva was collected from volunteers with poor oral hygiene at baseline and 5 min after a 1-min rinsing with diluted Solumium Oral® (hyper-pure 0.0015% chlorine dioxide; ClO₂), Listerine Total Care®, Corsodyl® (0.2% chlorhexidine-digluconate; CHX), or BioGate Si*CLEAN for bacterial investigation. In a second study, volunteers rinsed with 0.003% ClO₂ or CHX for 1 min, and saliva was collected at baseline, after 5 min, and after 90 min. After plating, the total plate and S. mutans colony numbers were determined.

Results: In the first study, ClO₂ and CHX similarly reduced both total germ and S. mutans numbers, while Listerine Total Care® decreased only the S. mutans counts. BioGate Si*Clean had no effect on either the total germ or S. mutans numbers. In the second study, an increasing tendency toward bacterial regrowth was observed with CHX after 90 min compared to the 5-min value, while no change was measured after ClO₂ rinsing.

Conclusion: Hyper-pure ClO₂ rinsing may be a new promising preventive and therapeutic adjuvant in dental practice, as it is similar in effectiveness to the gold standard CHX-containing mouthwashes, especially in patients concerned with taste or tooth discoloration during oral health therapy.

Keywords: Chlorhexidine; Hyper-pure chlorine dioxide; Listerine; Mouthwash; Salivary bacteria; Single rinse; Streptococcus mutans.

Fig. 1

Reduction of total plate count 5 min after 1-min single rinsing with 20-fold dilution of Solumium Oral® or Corsodyl® (***p < 0.001, n = 30/group).

Fig. 2

Reduction of S. mutans 5 min after 1-min single rinsing with 20-fold dilution of Solumium Oral®, Corsodyl® or Listerine Total Care® (***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, n = 30/group).

Fig. 3

Percentage reduction of salivary bacteria in total plate and S. mutans amounts after a single 1-min rinsing with Corsodyl®, BioGate Si*Clean®, Listerine Total Care® or Solumium Oral®.

Fig. 4

Percent reduction of salivary bacteria in total plate and S. mutans amounts 5 and 90 min after a single rinse with Solumium Oral® or Corsodyl®.