Effect of an enzymatic rinse on salivary levels of Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in periodontally treated patients.

Root surface caries is prevalent in patients with both treated and untreated periodontal disease. The major etiologic factor has been identified as microbial plaque. In periodontally treated patients, significantly higher root caries prevalence and incidence have been found in patients with high levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli in saliva. Reducing the levels of S. mutans and Lactobacilli in saliva may lower the risk of root caries development. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of an oral enzymatic rinse on the salivary counts of S. mutans and Lactobacilli in periodontally treated patients. Fifteen adult subjects participated in a double-blind, cross-over designed clinical trial. Each subject had previously undergone comprehensive periodontal therapy and had been maintained on a regular program of supportive periodontal therapy. Paraffin-stimulated whole saliva was collected from each participant. Each subject was then randomly given either the enzymatic rinse product or a control rinse and instructed to rinse with one tablespoonful twice a day for 2 weeks, after which saliva samples were taken. After a washout period, salivary samples were again taken, and the subjects received the alternate rinse product. Two weeks later, final salivary samples were taken. The salivary samples were serially diluted and incubated aerobically on selective culture media. S. mutans and Lactobacilli were counted on the basis of colonial morphology. Pretreatment and posttreatment salivary counts of S. mutans and Lactobacilli were analyzed using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test at the 5% level of significance. Analysis of data revealed that neither the test nor the control rinse significantly lowered salivary counts of either species in the sample population.