Comparing the antimicrobial effectiveness of Punica granatum and chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash: A single-blind randomized clinical trial.

Background: Punica granatum contains polyphenols and tannins which possess anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The main enemy for dental caries and periodontal diseases is dental plaque. Several plaque control measures have been suggested to prevent plaque accumulation. One among them will be the use of chlorhexidine mouthwash which is considered to be gold standard plaque control measure. However, the major adverse effect of chlorhexidine will be staining and taste alteration. To overcome the adverse effects of chlorhexidine, various naturally occurring antibacterial agents have been incorporated to prevent plaque formation. One among them will be P. granatum. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of P. granatum and chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash. Materials and Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted among twenty healthy individuals. The participants were randomly allocated into two groups: Group I (experimental group - P. granatum) and Group II (controlled group - chlorhexidine). Before conducting the trial, the study design was explained to the qualifying participant and informed consent was obtained from the voluntary patients who were willing to participate in the study. Plaque samples were evaluated for Streptococcus mutans at baseline and 15th day of follow-up. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the mean differences before and after treatment within each group for plaque S. mutans. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to estimate differences in the mean plaque S. mutans count between the groups. Results: A statistically significant reduction in mean plaque S. mutans was observed in both Group I and Group II at baseline and 7th day follow-up. However, there was no statistically significant difference observed between the groups at 7th day of follow-up. Conclusion: To conclude, there was no statistically significant difference was observed in mean plaque S. mutans between group 1 and group 2 at 7th day of follow-up. Hence, the current study shows that P. granatum can be used as an effective alternative to chlorhexidine mouthwash against plaque S. mutans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]