title: Properties of a new mouthrinse for patients receiving radiation therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients receiving radiation therapy due to oral cancer develop complications such as hyposalivation, mucositis, oral infections, dental hypersensitivity and caries. Mouthrinses can alleviate some of these problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the in vitro antimicrobial properties and cytotoxicity of an experimental mouthrinse.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mouthrinse contained 30% hexylene glycol (glycerine), 7% potassium nitrate and 0.025% sodium fluoride. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of these ingredients and the mixture was determined for C. albicans, S. aureus and S. mutans over 24 hours at different concentrations. The MICs of two commercial mouthrinses, Corsodyl and Plax, were also determined using the same organisms. All mouthrinses were then tested to determine the percentage kill over 1, 2, and 3 minutes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MICs for hexylene glycol were 10%, 30% and 10% for C. albicans, S. aureus and S. mutons respectively. Potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride had no antimicrobial effects. The MIC of Corsodyl was 0.016 mg/ml for all the test organisms. The MIC for Plax varied from 0.0002 mg/ml to 0.001 mg/ml. The kill rates for all mouthrinses were acceptable, with no statistical differences between them. The experimental mouthrinse was not toxic to human oesophageal SCC cells after 1 minute exposure. At the time of the experiment, the costs of a similar quantity of the experimental mouthrinse, Corsodyl and Plax were R5.24, R30.00 and R10.00 respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The experimental mouthrinse was cost-effective and proved to have an antimicrobial effect and could be used safely to alleviate oral infections, desensitize teeth, improve oral hygiene and control dental caries in cancer patients after radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Health Laboratory Services and Faculty of Health Sciences.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Ndlovu
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Veale
mesh_terms: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001565:Benzoates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006018:Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D054327:Lubricants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D008422:Materials Testing; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D009566:Nitrates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014260:Triclosan / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D001565:Benzoates; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents; D006018:Glycols; D054327:Lubricants; D009067:Mouthwashes; D009566:Nitrates; C070868:Plax; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D014260:Triclosan; D012969:Sodium Fluoride; C011480:hexylene glycol; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine; C023844:potassium nitrate