Influence of an Herbal Mouthwash on Inflammatory Changes of the Gingiva in Patients with Fixed Orthodontic Appliance

In patients with multiband appliances, the effectiveness of an herbal extract containing mouthrinse (Parodontax©) was tested for possible reduction of plaque and gingivitis. A total of 40 patients (mean age: 16 ± 2.3 years) with mild to moderate gingivitis participated in this prospective randomized, double-blind clinical study. At baseline (Group 1: Parodontax©, n = 20, mean age: 15.8 ± 2.2 years, Group 2: control, placebo solution, n = 20, mean age: 16.1 ± 2.3 years) caries frequency (DMF-T) and approximal plaque index (API), plaque index (PI), sulcular bleeding index (SBI), papillary bleeding index (PBI) and gingival index (GI) were assessed for the Ramfjord teeth. All subjects were examined at 4-week intervals for a period of 3 months, and all plaque and gingival index scores were reevaluated. At the end of the study, the patients in Group 1 (Parodontax©) showed significantly lower parameters indicative of inflammation than those in the control group. The SBI value in Group 1 was reduced from initially 39% to 8%, the PBI value from 1.07 to 0.17, and the GI value from 1.73 to 0.58. The plaque indices, however, showed no significant differences between the two groups (Group 1: API: 87%, initial value, and 78%, final value; PI: 1.99, initial value, and 1.66, final value; Group 2: API: 91%, initial value, and 83%, final value; PI: 2.66, initial value, and 2.11, final value). This double-blind study showed that usage of an herbal extract containing mouthrinse as an adjunct to mechanical oral hygiene measures seems to be beneficial in gingivitis therapy in patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliances.