Antiplaque/Antigingivitis Efficacy of a Citrus Flavored Essential Oil Mouthrinse

INTRODUCTION: This randomized, examiner-blind, parallel-group, two-week controlled clinical trial investigated the antiplaque/antigingivitis potential of a citrus flavor essential oil-containing mouthrinse (EO) compared to a negative control rinse (5% hydroalcohol), using the experimental gingivitis model. Cool Mint Listerine® Antiseptic (CMLA) served as the positive control. METHOD: 135 evaluable subjects completed the study. Following a complete dental prophylaxis, subjects with gingivitis and dental plaque were randomized to one of the three mouthrinses and instructed to rinse with 20 ml twice daily, for 30 seconds, over a two-week period as the sole oral hygiene measure. The primary efficacy variables were mean Modified Gingival Index (MGI) and mean Plaque Index (PI) at two weeks. RESULTS: The citrus EO rinse exhibited statistically significantly lower mean Modified Gingival Index (MGI) and mean Plaque Index than the negative control after two weeks of treatment (p<0.001). The percentage reductions in means were 32.0% and 29.4%, respectively, relative to the negative control. The mean Modified Gingival Index and mean Plaque Index at two weeks for CMLA rinse (the positive control) were statistically significantly lower than the corresponding means of the negative control (p<0.001). The percentage reductions were 33.9% and 32.7%, relative to the negative control, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this two-week, no-oral-hygiene model, the citrus EO rinse was significantly more effective in reducing gingival inflammation and plaque than the negative control and was “at least as good as” the currently marketed EO mouthrinse.