Fine DH et al (2005)

IN VIVO ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ESSENTIAL OIL—CONTAINING MOUTH RINSE 12 H AFTER A SINGLE USE AND 14 DAYS' USE¹

Objective
Two studies—a daytime study and an overnight study—were undertaken to measure the antimicrobial efficacy of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse 12 hours after a single rinse and 12 hours after 2 weeks twice of daily rinsing.

Methods
The studies used a randomized, double-blind, unsupervised, controlled crossover design. After baseline sampling of bacteria from supragingival plaque and the dorsum of the tongue, patients brushed as usual and rinsed twice daily with either an essential oil mouthrinse containing 0.09% zinc chloride or a negative control rinse (5% hydroalcohol) for 2 weeks.^* Sampling of bacteria was conducted 12 hours after the first rinse, then 12 hours after the final rinse 14 days later. After a washout period of at least 7 days, subjects repeated the procedures using the alternative rinse. There were 17 evaluable subjects in the daytime study, 15 in the overnight study. Samples were placed on selective media to assess gram-negative anaerobes, total anaerobes and volatile sulphur compound-producing microorganisms.

Results
At 12 hours after rinsing, subjects using the essential oil mouthrinse (a LISTERINE^® Antiseptic formula) had significantly lower ( p 0.005 ) mean bacterial counts than subjects using the control rinse in all comparisons. Mean reductions with LISTERINE^® ranged from 57.3% to 95.3% for plaque samples and from 76.0% to 96.1% for tongue samples. There was a trend toward higher reductions after 14 days' use. The findings were similar in the daytime and overnight studies.

LISTERINE^® Antiseptic had long-lasting effects in reducing anaerobic bacteria overall as well as gram-negative anaerobes and VSC—producing bacteria both in supragingival plaque and on the tongue.

Conclusion
The significant reductions in numbers of these bacteria... [12 hours after rinsing] can play a key role in explaining the essential oil mouthrinse’s effectiveness in reducing supragingival plaque and gingivitis as well as its effectiveness in controlling intrinsic oral malodor over prolonged periods.

^* The tartar-control ingredient in Advanced LISTERINE^® Antiseptic is 0.09% zinc chloride.

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REFERENCES

1. Fine DH, Furgang D, Sinatra K, Charles C, McGuire A, Kumar LD. In vivo antimicrobial effectiveness of an essential oil-containing mouth rinse 12 h after a single use and 14 days use. J Clin Periodontol.2005;32:335-340.