Comparison of antimicrobial efficacy of chemical mouthwash and herbal mouthwash

Abstract

Background: The use of mouth rinse for oral hygiene maintenance has been advocated as an adjuvant to mechanical aids of plaque removal. The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial effect of herbal and chemical mouth rinse on bacterial accumulation on orthodontic arch wires. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 15 numbers of 0.016 Nickel Titanium (NiTi) arch wires removed from patients' mouths, which were split into three segments of 1 cm each. Wires were dipped in solutions of Chlorhexidine (Group A), Befresh Herbal (Group B) and Distilled water (Group C) individually for 30 seconds and then in normal saline for one minute. 0.5microlitre of this saline solution was inoculated in a Brain heart infusion medium (BHI) for 24 hours and then examined for bacterial count. The obtained results were subjected to One-way ANOVA, Bonferroni and post hoc tests for statistical analysis. Results: Group A showed the maximum reduction in the bacterial colony forming units (CFU) after 24 hours with a mean value of 65.67cfu. Group B showed a mean value of 336.87cfu. There was a statistically significant difference between the Chlorhexidine group and the Control group.