title: Comparison the efficacy of herbal mouthwash with chlorhexidine on gingival index of intubated patients in Intensive Care Unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intubated patients in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are not able to take care of their mouth health, so they are at risk of bacterial colonization and dental plaques formation that can lead to systemic diseases such as pneumonia and gingivitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In randomized, double-blind clinical study, the efficacy of natural herbal mouthwash containingSalvadora persicaethanol extract andAloe veragel was compared with chlorhexidine on gingival index (GI) of intubated patients in ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six intubated patients (18-64 years old with mean age 40.35 ± 13.2) in ICU were admitted to this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: (1) Herbal mouthwash and (2) chlorhexidine solution. Before the intervention, the GIs was measured by modified GI device into two groups. The mouth was rinsed by mouthwashes every 2-3 h for 4 days. 2 h after the last intervention, GIs were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Along with mechanical methods, herbal mouthwash in reducing GI was statistically significant than that of chlorhexidine (P< 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study introduce a new botanical extract mouthwash with dominant healing effects on GI (1.5 ± 0.6) higher than that of synthetic mouthwash, chlorhexidine (2.31 ± 0.73).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Sahra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Korosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rezaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Medicinal Plant, Research Center of Barij Essence, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohaddese
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahboubi
authors.affiliation: Department of Shahid Sadoughi Anesthesiology and Critical Care University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jarahzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, School of Dentistry, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Momeni
authors.affiliation: Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bagherinasab
authors.affiliation: Dentistry Students, Medical Sciences University of Shahid Sadoughi, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad Gaffari
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Targhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Formulation, Medicinal Plant, Research Center of Barij Essence, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Memarzadeh
keywords: Aloe vera gel; Intensive Care Units; chlorhexidine; gingival diseases; mouthwashes; patients