An in vitro oral biofilm model for comparing the efficacy of antimicrobial mouthrinses

Caries Res. 2002 Mar-Apr;36(2):93-100. doi: 10.1159/000057866.

Abstract

The ability of commercial mouthrinses to reduce total viable counts of mixed microbial populations was examined using a previously developed in vitro model of supragingival plaque. Exploratory experiments aimed at fine-tuning the model indicated that optimal correspondence between in vitro and clinical results for chlorhexidine-containing formulations were obtained at a saliva:medium ratio of 70:30 (v/v); moreover, expanding the microbial population from 5 bacterial species to 5 bacterial species + Candida albicans had no noticeable impact on overall results. The efficacies of 12 different mouthrinse proprietary products containing chlorhexidine, hexetidine, octenidine, Triclosan, plant extracts, or aminefluoride/stannous fluoride vis-à-vis biofilm clearance were compared. All mouthrinses promoted a statistically significant reduction in microbial load compared to distilled water. The herbal- and phenolic-based products were substantially less effective than most chlorhexidine-containing mouthrinses, or mouthrinses containing hexetidine or octenidine. No significant difference between the plaque-clearing plaque-clearing abilities of Listerine and Meridol was observed. This polyspecies biofilm model can be a valuable tool for preclinical testing of antiplaque formulations, particularly during the product development stage.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / pharmacology*
  • Bacteria / drug effects
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Chlorhexidine / pharmacology
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Dental Plaque / microbiology
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods*
  • Fluorides, Topical / pharmacology
  • Hexetidine / pharmacology
  • Imines
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Models, Biological*
  • Mouthwashes / pharmacology*
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Saliva
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Tin Fluorides / pharmacology
  • Triclosan / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local
  • Fluorides, Topical
  • Imines
  • Mouthwashes
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Pyridines
  • Tin Fluorides
  • amine fluoride solution
  • Triclosan
  • Hexetidine
  • octenidine
  • Chlorhexidine