Eff ectiveness of Menthol and Chlorhexidine Mouth Rinses on Reduction of Plaque, Gingivitis, and Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva

Abstract

Introduction: Menthol is a new product made from mint that is the most eff ective approach to avoid infections. There has been little human research on using menthol as a mouth rinse ingredient, and there is little information on the subject. Aim: This study aimed to know the eff ectiveness of menthol and chlorhexidine mouth rinses in reducing plaque, gingivitis, and Streptococcus mutans in saliva among 21 to 45 years old subjects. Material and method: The study is a placebo-control, parallel-group blind randomized clinical trial consisting of a 2-week period. Forty subjects were selected and randomized into 2 groups consisting of 20 subjects: group A (menthol) and group B (chlorohexidine). The subjects were clinically examined for plaque accumulation using the plaque index (Turesky et al.) and gingival infl ammation using the gingival index (loe and silness). The saliva samples were collected for estimation of S. mutans count on the fi rst day of baseline and after the 14th day using an assigned mouth rinse. Results: Menthol mouth rinse showed lower scores in plaque index, gingival index, and S. mutans count compared to the chlorhexidine mouth rinse which was statistically signifi cant (p = 0.05). Mouth rinse with menthol is better compared to mouth rinse with chlorohexidine. Conclusion: Menthol mouthwash has therapeutic potential and can be prescribed by a dentist as part of routine oral hygiene practice