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Sharma N et al (2004)

ADJUNCTIVE BENEFIT OF AN ESSENTIAL OIL-CONTAINING MOUTHRINSE IN REDUCING PLAQUE AND GINGIVITIS IN PATIENTS WHO BRUSH AND FLOSS REGULARLY: A SIX-MONTH STUDY1

Objective
To determine the incremental benefit of the adjunctive use of LISTERINE® Antiseptic in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly.

Methods
In this randomized, controlled 6-month trial, 246 subjects with gingivitis were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: brushing/control mouthrinse; brushing/flossing/control (BFC) mouthrinse; or brushing/flossing/rinsing with LISTERINE® Antiseptic (BFL). All subjects were instructed to brush thoroughly twice daily and received toothbrushes and dentifrices as needed. Subjects' dental hygiene procedures were not supervised, but subjects in the BFC and BFL groups had to demonstrate proper flossing technique before participating in the study. Subjects were asked not to use oral care products other than those provided for the study. Patients were evaluated for plaque and gingivitis at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months and using the modified gingival index (MGI), Turesky plaque index (PI), and bleeding index (BI).

Results
After 6 months, patients in the brushing/flossing/LISTERINE® Antiseptic group had a 29.9% additional reduction in whole-mouth MGI scores and a 56.3% additional reduction in whole-mouth PI scores vs patients in the brushing/control rinse group (p< 0.001).

Patients in the brushing/flossing/LISTERINE® Antiseptic group, had a 21% additional reduction in whole-mouth MGI scores and a 51.9% additional reduction in whole-mouth PI scores vs patients in the brushing/flossing/control rinse group (p< 0.001).

Conclusion
This long–term study demonstrates that the adjunctive use of an [essential oil] EO–containing mouthrinse twice daily provides a meaningful and clinically significant incremental benefit to a recommended regimen of brushing twice daily and flossing once daily.

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REFERENCES

  1. Sharma N, Charles CH, Lynch MC, et al. Adjunctive benefit of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly: a six-month study. J Am Dent Assoc. 2004;135:496-504.