Efficacy of Dental Floss Impregnated with Commercially Available Mouthwashes on Reduction of Supragingival Biofilm: A Randomized Single Blind Study

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of dental floss impregnated with commercially available Chlorhexidine gluconate, Cetylpyredinium Chloride and Chlorine dioxide mouthwash on reduction of Supragingival Biofilm.

Materials and Methods: Sixty dental students were randomly divided into four groups (n=15 Control group (group 1-distilled water) included floss impregnated in distilled water. Test groups were (group 2- Rexidine® mouthwash) (group 3- Colgate Plax® mouthwash) (group 4- Freshclor® mouthwash) All the patients used same toothbrush and a unwaxed dental floss impregnated with mouthwash twice a day. The presence of the dental biofilm and bleeding on probing was evaluated only on four surfaces, resulting in four scores for each tooth (mesiobuccal, distobuccal, mesiolingual and distolingual). The four surfaces were assessed according to the Quigley–Hein Index , modified by Turesky et al. and papillary bleeding index.

Results: After 15 days, the mean plaque score using Turesky Gilmore Plaque Index of all teeth examined was 0.8473333±0.2868076, for control group, 0.969444 ±0.4494448 for group 2, 0.608333 ± 0.2082143 for group 3, 0.608333 ± 0.2082143 for group 4.

Mean papillary bleeding index scores were 1.60 ± 0.632 for control group, 0.33 ± 0.488 for group 2, 1.07 ± 0.704 for group 3, 1.13± 0.640 for group 4.

Group 3 showed statistically significant levels in reduction of plaque scores with Turesky Gilmore Plaque Index.

Conclusion: The present study concluded that the CHX impregnated floss was more effective in reducing the interproximal plaque levels. And cetylpyridinium impregnated floss was better in reducing the biofilm level when assesed using Turesky Gilmore modification of Quigley Hein plaque index.