Evaluation of efficacy of a commercially available herbal mouthwash on dental plaque and gingivitis: A double-blinded, parallel, randomized, controlled trial

Background: Present study was aimed to access the effectiveness of herbal mouthwash against plaque and gingivitis agents as compared with standard chlorhexidine. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 patients were chosen for the study with the age group of 18-30 years. The patients were divided into three groups. Group A included patients only on chlorhexidine mouthwash; Group B included patients on herbal mouthwash, and Group C included patients on distilled water. Turesky modification of Quigley-Hein plaque index and modified gingival index by Lobene were used to evaluate plaque and gingivitis, respectively. Results: There was a significant reduction of dental plaque and gingival scores from 0 to 21 days in all the groups. Conclusion: Herbal mouth users showed significant enhancement from 0 to 21 days in protecting and maintaining the oral health. However, due to side effects seen while long-term using chlorhexidine mouth rinse, herbal mouthwashes can be used as a replacement for chlorhexidine mouthwash.