Valutazione clinica comparativa fra due collutori agli oli essenziali con e senza alcol

Objectives

Essential oils have been used for years as components of mouthwashes. Although their antiseptic potency is inferior to that of chlorhexidine, they can be used daily as an adjunct to daily oral hygiene and as a treatment for halitosis. The aim of this prospective, double-blind, comparative study was to evaluate the efficacy of two mouthwashes containing essential oils, one without alcohol and the other containing 22% alcohol. Of the 31 patients enrolled, 28 completed the protocol, which consisted in two 15-day cycles (one for each product tested) of twice-a-day rinses.

Materials and methods

Full Mouth Bleeding Scores (FMBS%), Full Mouth Plaque Scores (FMPS%) and Stain Indexes (SI) were recorded. Patients also filled in a questionnaire regarding their personal reactions to each mouthwash.

Results

The two products were equally effective in reducing oral hygiene indexes. The use of the mouthwash containing alcohol was associated with an increased sensation of “burning”.

Conclusions

Despite the similar antiplaque activities of these products, the risk/benefit ratio of daily use of mouthwashes containing alcohol (sometimes at high concentrations) must be examined according to recent scientific evidence.