Context: In response to the propagation of various anti-Streptococcus preventive agents, the discovery of newer and more efficient agents which are more economical, efficacious, and safe are gaining popularity in today's era.
Aims: The purpose was to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of multi-herbal mouth rinse with essential oil-based, fluoride containing, and 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate mouth rinses, well-evidenced chemical formulations, against Streptococcus mutans.
Settings and design: It is triple-blinded randomized controlled trial.
Methodology: One hundred and twenty adolescents aged between 15 and 17 years were randomized into four groups: (a) multi-herbal mouth rinse, 15 ml twice a day; (b) 0.2% chlorhexidine mouth rinse, 15 ml twice a day; (c) essential oil mouth rinse, 15 ml twice a day (d) 0.2% sodium fluoride mouth rinse, twice a day. Salivary and plaque samples were collected from subjects and oral streptococci colony forming units (CFUs)/mL was assessed using TYCSB agar.
Statistical analysis used: Repeated measures of ANOVA were used to compare the various mouthrinses followed by post hoc Bonferroni test for comparing multi-herbal mouthrinse with other mouthrinses. Significance was set at P < 0.05.
Results: At baseline, there was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of baseline data groups, but reduction of S. mutans colony count of multi-herbal mouth rinse in comparison with the other mouthrinses had statistically significant values except Fluoride mouth rinse till 1 week postrinsing.
Conclusion: Chlorhexidine and multi-herbal mouth rinses showed statistically significant reduction in the S. mutans CFU count, in terms of efficacy and substantivity both.