title: The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oil pulling is an age-old practice that has gained modern popularity in promoting oral and systemic health. The scientific verification for this practice is insufficient. Thus, this study evaluated the effect of coconut oil pulling on the count of Streptococcus mutans in saliva and to compare its efficacy with that of Chlorhexidine mouthwash: in vivo. The null hypothesis was that coconut oil pulling has no effect on the bacterial count in saliva.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled study was planned and 60 subjects were selected. The subjects were divided into three groups, Group A:
  
  
  METHODS
  Oil pulling, Group B:
  
  
  METHODS
  Chlorhexidine, and Group C:
  
  
  METHODS
  Distilled water. Group A subjects rinsed mouth with 10 ml of coconut oil for 10 minutes. Group B subjects rinsed mouth with 5 ml Chlorhexidine mouthwash for 1 minute and Group C with 5 ml distilled water for 1 minute in the morning before brushing. Saliva samples were collected and cultured on 1st day and after 2 weeks from all subjects. Colonies were counted to compare the efficacy of coconut oil and Chlorhexidine with distilled water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant reduction in S. mutans count was seen in both the coconut oil pulling and Chlorhexidine group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oil pulling can be explored as a safe and effective alternative to Chlorhexidine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Edible oil-pulling therapy is natural, safe and has no side effects. Hence, it can be considered as a preventive therapy at home to maintain oral hygiene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Telangana India.
authors.forename: Mamta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaushik
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Telangana India.
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Telangana India.
authors.forename: Roshni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, CRPF Road, Chennapur Jai Jawahar Nagar Post, Secunderabad, Telangana 500087 India Phone: 9849640755; e-mail: pooja.udameshi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Udameshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Telangana India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehra
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Telangana India.
authors.forename: Aditya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marwaha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D009067:Mouthwashes; D002710:Chlorhexidine
keywords: Chlorhexidine; Coconut oil; Marwaha A. The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash. J Contemp Dent Pract 2016;17(1):38-41. Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None.; Mehra N; Reddy P; Roshni; Streptococcus mutans. How to cite this article: Kaushik M; Udameshi P