Adjunctive benefit of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly: a six-month study.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical methods of oral hygiene can be complemented by the use of chemotherapeutic mouthrinses. The authors sought to quantify the additional benefit provided by an essential oil-, or EO-, containing mouthrinse in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly. METHODS: The authors randomly assigned patients with gingivitis to one of three treatment groups: brushing and rinsing with a control mouthrinse, or BC; brushing, flossing and rinsing with a control mouthrinse, or BFC; or brushing, flossing and rinsing with an EO-containing mouthrinse, or BFEO. Patients received a dental prophylaxis at baseline, and the authors followed them for six months. RESULTS: Of 246 enrolled subjects enrolled in the study, 237 subjects were evaluable at the study's conclusion. After six months, the subjects using the BFEO regimen had statistically and clinically significant lower mean Modified Gingival Index, or MGI, scores and Plaque Index, or PI, scores than did subjects in the BC group (29.9 percent and 56.3 percent, respectively; P < .001). Subjects in the BFC group had statistically significantly lower mean MGI and PI scores than did subjects in the BC group (11.2 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively; P < .001). Subjects in the BFEO group exhibited statistically and clinically significantly lower mean scores for MGI and PI than did subjects in the BFC group (21 percent and 51.9 percent, respectively; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that for patients with gingivitis who brush and floss routinely, the adjunctive use of an EO-containing mouthrinse provides a clinically significant and meaningful additional benefit in reducing plaque and gingivitis. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: An EO-containing mouthrinse is an effective adjunct to regular brushing and flossing. Therefore, the BFEO regimen can be beneficial for patients with gingival inflammation.

Risks of occupational exposure to latex gloves.

The extraordinary increase in latex glove use in dentistry within the past decade has created a potential occupational hazard in the form of adverse reactions to components found in these gloves. Reactions may range from dry, itchy skin to a life-threatening, anaphylactic response. Management of these conditions may be as simple as switching glove brands; but in the most severe cases, it may entail the need to create a latex-free environment for the safety of the affected health care worker. This article reviews the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and management of these conditions and provides references for more in-depth reading on the subject.

Role of superoxide dismutase activity in the physiology of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative, obligate anaerobe strongly associated with chronic adult periodontitis. A previous study has demonstrated that this organism requires superoxide dismutase (SOD) for its modest aerotolerance. In this study, we have constructed a mutant deficient in SOD activity by insertional inactivation as well as a sod::lacZ reporter translational fusion construct to study the regulation of expression of this gene. We have confirmed that SOD is essential for tolerance to atmospheric oxygen but does not appear to be protective against hydrogen peroxide or exogenously generated reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the sod mutant appeared to be no more sensitive to killing by neutrophils than the parental strain 381. SOD appears to be protective against oxygen-dependent DNA damage as measured by increased mutation to rifampin resistance by the sod mutant. Use of the sod::lacZ construct confirmed that SOD expression is maximal at mid-log phase and is influenced by oxygen, temperature, and pH. However, expression does not appear to be significantly affected by iron depletion, osmolarity, or nutrient depletion. The transcription start site of the sod gene was determined to be 315 bp upstream of the sod start codon and to be within an upstream open reading frame. Our studies demonstrate the essential role that SOD plays in aerotolerance of this organism as well as the selective induction of this enzyme by environmental stimuli.