title: Eugenia uniflora Dentifrice for Treating Gingivitis in Children: Antibacterial Assay and Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: School-age children are frequently at high risk for the onset of biofilm-dependent conditions, including dental caries and periodontal diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a dentifrice containing Eugenia uniflora Linn. (Surinam cherry) extract versus a triclosan-based comparator in treating gingivitis in children aged 10-12 years. The in vitro antibacterial potential of the dentifrice was tested against oral pathogens (Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis and Lactobacillus casei). Then a phase-II clinical trial was conducted with 50 subjects aged 10-12 years, with clinical signs of gingivitis. The subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=25) and control group (n=25), in which participants used the experimental dentifrice and a triclosan-based fluoridated dentifrice (Colgate Total 12(r)), respectively. Clinical examinations assessed the presence of gingivitis (primary outcome) and biofilm accumulation (secondary outcome) using the Gingival-Bleeding Index (GBI) and Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), respectively, at baseline and after seven days of tooth brushing 3x/day. The data were analyzed using paired and unpaired t-test (GBI) and Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney (OHI-S), with p≤0.05. The experimental dentifrice showed efficient antibacterial activity in vitro. In the clinical trial, a significant reduction in gingival bleeding was observed in both experimental and control groups (p<0.0001), with no statistical difference between them (p=0.178), although a small size effect was observed. Biofilm accumulation was only reduced in the control group (p=0.0039). In conclusion, E. uniflora dentifrice showed anti-gingivitis properties in children aged 10-12 years. Thus, it may be a potentially efficient and safe product to be used alternatively in preventive dental practice.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Sciences, UFPB - Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa de Carvalho
authors.initials: Vde C
authors.lastname: Jovito
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, UNICAMP - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Irlan Almeida
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Freires
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Sciences, UFPB - Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Augusto de Holanda
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Center for Exact Sciences and Nature, UFPB - Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marçal de Queiroz
authors.initials: Mde Q
authors.lastname: Paulo
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Therapy, UFPB - Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Dias de
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Castro
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003802:Dentifrices; D000068856:Eugenia; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003802:Dentifrices