Tamara Taylor

July 20, 2015

Antiseptic Mouth Rinses: An update on Comparative Effectiveness, Risks and Recommendations

Antiseptic mouth rinses are highly recommended and also marketed to better improve
oral health. There are many current studies about antiseptic rinses that are monitoring the helpful
benefits controlling plaque, gingivitis, and other hazardous oral exposures. There were many
different methods used to conduct the research needed to identify which antiseptic is most
beneficial in aiding good oral hygiene. An electronic database was used to search and conduct
the effectiveness of four commercially marketed antiseptic mouth rinses that differed in active
ingredients, these ingredients were (0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate, essential oils (menthol,
thymol and eucalyptol) and methyl salicylate, 0.7% cetylpyridinium chloride and 20% aloe vera
gel) these ingredients were used for controlling the gingivitis and plaque.
The ADA evaluates the product itself and the FDA evaluates the products individual
active ingredients to determine if the product is safe and effective for use. The effectiveness of
commercial antiseptic mouth rinses was to determine what mouth rinse is the best marketed
product for use by dental offices and consumers. The primary goal was to target the gingivitis
and plaque while still also be safe for consumers. The studies showed the risks of each individual
mouth rinse of the four that were evaluated, they did controlled studies on each this helped them
determine the comparative effectiveness for controlling plaque, gingivitis, and also the risks for
salivary flow rate. The data they used was with peer reviewed journals, controlled clinical trials,
and randomized controlled clinical trials.

The results and discussion involved dental professionals and their patients, the dentists
provided recommendations on which antiseptic mouth rinse to use that will benefit their oral
health. The longer the antiseptic mouth rinses active ingredients remain in the oral cavity the
better the products effectiveness. Saliva is continuously refreshing the mouth so it tends to wash
away the active ingredients that are used in the antiseptic mouth rinse, this makes the mouth
more susceptible to plaque and other oral concerns. Dentists try to recommend antiseptic mouth
rinses that has an extended substantivity.
The research gathered supported the effectiveness of antiseptic mouth rinses that reduced
plaque and gingivitis as an adjunct to home care. There was not enough evidence and
information available to support the claim that oral antiseptics reduce the risks and hazardous
effects of developing periodontitis. It is highly important for people to understand the benefits of
good oral health and the risks that are imposed when bad oral hygiene is present. Bad oral
hygiene can cause several severe health problems, such as gingivitis, oral cancer, plaque, and
periodontitis. Antiseptic mouth rinses are available to help people prevent tooth decay and
harmful health hazards to happen and reduce the effects of bad oral hygiene. Antiseptic mouth
rinses help clean and remove all unwanted bacteria from the mouth that can hide in crevices.
Dentists are recommended to let their patients know about antiseptic mouth rinses. Commercial
antiseptic mouth rinses have been ADA and FDA approved for the safety of the consumer. The
four active ingredients that are present in commercial antiseptic mouth rinses conducted in the
study are best for prolonging the effects for better results in keeping the mouth clean and help
fight bacteria and plaque.