GROWTH INHIBITORY EFFECT OF CHLORHEXIDINE AND HEXETIDINE CONTAINING-MOUTHWASHES AGAINST ORAL BACTERIAL ISOLATES

Abstract

Background

Frequent use of mouthwash (MW) is one of the most effective methods used to prevent oral bacterial infections and to assist individuals in their efforts to achieve and maintain better oral health. Using a MW containing antibacterial agents would be a simple way to prevent growth and multiplication of pathogenic organisms in oral cavity causing dental caries and other mouth diseases. Chlorhexidine (CHX) and Hexetidine (HX) have been proposed as potent biocides against oral bacteria.

Objective

The present study was performed to investigate oral bacteria growth inhibition when using any of four mouthwashes that are commercially available in the Libyan market and contain either CHX, (Zordy land Oraxin), or HX, (Hextril and Givalex), and to clarify whether CHX and HX were suitable and safe biocides that can be included in mouthwash products.

Materials and Methods

Sixty adult (45 females and 15 males) volunteers had been chosen and divided into four groups and their saliva samples were assessed for microbial count at the beginning and the end of two weeks of treatment, during which they rinsed with 15ml of mouthwashes for 30 seconds twice a day (morning and evening) in addition to their usual oral hygiene procedures. The antibacterial activity of mouthwashes was assayed by cell viable count technique and cell diffusibility measurement.

Results

The results showed wide variations in the effectiveness of mouthwashes; those containing CHX were more effective (P ≤0.05) than formulations containing HX on oral microbial count. The main findings of the present study were that Zordyl, Oraxinand Hextril exerted high effects on the salivary microbiota, causing 90%, 60% and 34% reduction in salivary bacterial counts respectively. 25% reduction was observed for Givalex. On the other hand, the zone of inhibition test showed that Zordyl and Oraxin had large zone inhibitory effects, while Hextril and Givalex, were less effective on some bacterial species.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that twice daily use of CHX mouthwash (CHX-MW) or HX mouthwash (HX-MW) reduces oral bacterial load counts in healthy subjects when used as an adjunct to their normal oral hygiene procedures. This also suggests that inhibitory power of mouth washes containing CHX is greater on oral bacteria than mouthwashes containing HX.