Clinical and Microbiological Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Herbal Mouthwashes in Gingivitis

Plaque-induced gingivitis is a clinical condition that appears to cause persistent inflammation in gingiva. It is a preliminary cause to periodontitis but it can be inverted to address the risk of periodontitis development. This randomize controlled clinical trial (RCT) aims to clinically and microbiologically evaluate the effectiveness of different herbal mouthwashes as an adjunct treatment to non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) in patients with gingivitis. A total of 52 patients diagnosed with gingivitis were incorporated into the RCT and categorized into four groups as follows: Tea tree oil (Tebodont®), thyme hydrosol (Arifoglu®), essential oil (Listerine®), and placebo. The patients were advised to wash with15 ml of prescribed mouthwash twice a day for a period of 3rd months after NSPT. Clinical periodontal measurements; including plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) and probing pocket depth (PPD) and microbiological sampling, were performed before enrollment and in 3rd months. Plaque samples were examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR).