G-4013

Evaluation of the effect of ginger mouthwash on dental plaque index and gingival index in students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial study

 Zahra Alizadeh ¹ ©, Mohammadreza Naseh ², Monirsadat Mirzadeh ³, Tasnim Hamedivafa ^4,5 ℗, Shabnam Haftani 6   

 
Abstract

Introduction: Oral hygiene is important in maintaining overall health.Mouthwash is considered a complementary method of oral hygiene and an aid in the prevention of caries and periodontal disease. While chlorhexidine mouthwash is considered the gold standard for antimicrobials,its long-term use has been shown to have more side effects than herbal mouthwashes.Ginger is a medicinal plant and widely consumed in the human diet,which has many benefits,including antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.In this regard,this study compared the effect of ginger herbal mouthwash with chlorhexidine mouthwash on dental plaque index(PI) and gingival index(GI). Methods: This study was conducted as a randomized double blind clinical trial in 2023. 50 students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences,aged 19 to 27 years and with at least 20 healthy teeth,entered the study after reading and signing a written consent form. In two groups of 25 participant (13 women and 12 men) consuming ginger mouthwash or chlorhexidine mouthwash from Vi-one company,the GI was measured using the Löe & Silness method and the PI was measured using the Turesky et al Modification of the Quigley Hein method at the beginning of the study (first day),on the seventh day,and the fourteenth day.All data were analyzed and compared using an Independent t-test (Mann-Whitney U test) through SPSS 24 software (Statistical Software R.ver400). The significance level in this study is 0.05( P value0.05). Our study was conducted under the supervision of the Ethics Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. (Ethical Code: IR.QUMS.REC.1401.078 and IRCT: IRCT20220621055244N1) Results: In our study groups with an average age of 25 years, after 14 days of continuous use of mouthwashes,the PI changed in the ginger group from 2.0092 to 1.0768 (P value0.001) and in the chlorhexidine group from 1.8492 to 0.6636 (P value0.001). The comparative results between the two groups didn't show a significant difference between the two groups (P value=0.013). On the other hand, after 14 days of continuous use of mouthwashes,the GI in the ginger group increased from 1.0596 to 0.9820 (P value0.001) and in the chlorhexidine group it increased from 1.0408 to 0.9256 (P value0.001). The results of the comparison between the two groups also showed no significant difference between the two groups (P value=0.645). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that despite a significant reduction in the average PI and GI within both groups,no significant difference was observed between the two groups consuming ginger and chlorhexidine mouthwash. Therefore,ginger herbal mouthwash can be a suitable alternative to chlorhexidine mouthwash with fewer side effects and similar effectiveness. To more accurately generalize these results,it is recommended that future studies be conducted with a larger sample size and a longer period to evaluate tooth discoloration and other possible long-term side effects.

Keywords: Chlorhexidin(CHX), Dental Plaque Index (PI), Ginger, Gingival Index (GI), mouthwashes