Adjunctive use of essential oils following scaling and root planing -a randomized clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Hitherto no study has been published on the effect of the adjunctive administration of essential oils following scaling and root planing (SRP). This study describes the effect of a mouthrinse consisting of essential oils (Cymbopogon flexuosus, Thymus zygis and Rosmarinus officinalis) following SRP by clinical and microbiological variables in patients with generalized moderate chronic periodontitis.


METHODS
Forty-six patients (aged 40-65 years) with moderate chronic periodontitis were randomized in a double-blind study and rinsed their oral cavity following SRP with an essential oil mouthrinse (n  =  23) or placebo (n  =  23) for 14 days. Probing depth (PD), attachment level (AL), bleeding on probing (BOP) and modified sulcus bleeding index (SBI) were recorded at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. Subgingival plaque was taken for assessment of major bacteria associated with periodontitis.


RESULTS
AL, PD, BOP and SBI were significantly improved in both groups after three (p   <   0.001) and 6 months (p   ≤   0.015). AL improved significantly better in the test than in the control group after 3 and 6 months (p < 0.001), so did PD after three months in the tendency (p  =  0.1). BOP improved better in the test group after 3 months (p  =  0.065). Numbers of Treponema denticola (p  =  0.044) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (p  =  0.029) decreased more in the test than in the control group after 3 months, those of Tannerella forsythia after 6 months (p  =  0.039). Prevotella micra (p  <  0.001, p  =  0.035) and Campylobacter rectus (p  =  0.002 , p  =  0.012) decreased significantly in both groups after 3 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The adjunctive use of a mouthrinse containing essential oils following SRP has a positive effect on clinical variables and on bacterial levels in the subgingival biofilm.


BACKGROUND
332-12-24092012, DRKS 00009387, German Clinical Trials Register, Freiburg i. Br., 16.09.2015.
Private dental practice, Hamburg, Germany.
Mohammad Fallah
MF
Azad
Institute of Microecology, Herborn, Germany.
Andreas
A
Schwiertz
Centre for Periodontology, Department for Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 12, Haus 1, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany. jenh@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
Holger F R
HF
Jentsch
D000328:Adult; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D031743:Cymbopogon; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods*; D027542:Rosmarinus; D046930:Thymus Plant
D009067:Mouthwashes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils
Chronic periodontitis; Essential oils; Periodontopathogens; Scaling and root planing