Effect of mixed chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide mouthrinses on developing plaque and stain in gingivitis patients: a randomized clinical trial.

AIMS: To evaluate the effects of mixed chlorhexidine (CHX)/hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) mouthrinses compared with CHX mouthrinse alone on plaque, tooth stain, and gingivitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a double-blind, randomized two group parallel experiment, using a 14-day non-brushing half-mouth model. The test group was randomly assigned to the mixed 0.12% CHX and 1.5% H(2)O(2) mouthrinse, whereas the control group used 0.12% CHX. Sixty healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study and received scaling and polishing 2 weeks prior to the experiment and then rinsed with the allocated mouthrinses twice daily for 2 weeks. The plaque, stain, and gingivitis scores were evaluated and recorded by a calibrated investigator. RESULTS: Fifty-two subjects completed the study (CHX + H(2)O(2)n = 25/CHX n = 27). There were significant differences between the control and test groups for plaque index (CHX 0.64 +/- 0.41 vs. CHX + H(2)O(2) 0.46 +/- 0.36, p = 0.035) and stain intensity at proximal areas (CHX 0.26 +/- 0.36 vs. CHX + H(2)O(2) 0.09 +/- 0.14, p = 0.019) at the end of the experimental non-brushing side. However, the gingival indices did not differ significantly (CHX 0.61 +/- 0.34 vs. CHX + H(2)O(2) 0.62 +/- 0.31, p = 0.938) between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of oral hygiene practice, the mixed CHX + H(2)O(2) mouthrinse was slightly superior in reducing plaque scores and stain compared with CHX alone. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The clinical effectiveness of CHX + H(2)O(2) is comparable with CHX mouthwash alone. Therefore, the use of the mixed mouthrinse is beneficial compared with CHX for minimizing biofilm and tooth staining.