Gingivitis and plaque prevention using three commercially available dentifrices: A comparative clinical and microbiological randomized control parallel study

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the clinical and microbiological efficacy of Group I‑delmopinol dentifrice, Group II‑chlorhexidine, and Group III‑triclosan‑containing regularly used control dentifrice on plaque formation and gingivitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 healthy volunteer students fulfilling the inclusion criteria are recruited for this randomized control parallel study. All the individuals were randomly assigned into 3 groups depending on the dentifrice prescribed. After the selection of individuals, thorough scaling and polishing were performed for all the individuals, and in a 4 days’ washout period, they were refrained from regular oral hygiene maintenance and 0.9% NaCl (normal saline) rinse was prescribed to obtain plaque regrowth. Microbiological morphotypes were assessed using darkfield microscope. Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed using the SPSS‑software 19.00 program. The intragroup comparison of clinical parameters was done using Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA test, and intergroup comparison was done by Mann–Whitney U‑test. The intragroup comparison of clinical parameters including modified staining index, the supragingival microbiota such as cocci, bacilli, and spirochetes scores was done at various study intervals using one‑way ANOVA, and intergroup comparison was done using Tukey’s multiple post hoc test. Results: The results showed that statistically significant correlation between Group II and Group III at 15 and 30 days and between Group I and Group II at 30 days with cocci and bacilli but not spirochetes. Conclusion: Group II showed better plaque and gingivitis reduction compared to other active groups. To validate the results of the present study, further long‑term studies with larger sample size and evaluation using known and proven study designs on gingivitis patients are needed.