A Comparative the Efficacy of Two Commercial Mouthrinses as a Preprocedural Rinse in Reducing Bacterial Aerosol Produced during Ultrasonic Scaling

Abstract

            Ultrasonic scaling is the greatest producer of contaminated aerosols and splatters. This study aimed
to compare the efficacy preprocedural rinsing with herbal lesser galanga mouthwash and 0.12% chlorhexidine
gluconate in reducing bacteria during ultrasonic scaling using a magnetostrictive scaler and to
evaluate the remaining aerosols after ultrasonic scaling. Twenty subjects were recruited: ten were assigned
to the herbal lesser galanga mouthwash experimental group and the other ten to 0.12% chlorhexidine
gluconate control group. Blood agar plates were placed to collect bacterial sampling in 2 same size
experimental rooms at the 3 designated sites, at 4 intervals: i.e., 30 minutes before ultrasonic scaling,
during ultrasonic scaling, and 30 and 60 minutes after ultrasonic scaling. The results showed that there
was no difference between the mean of bacterial counts during ultrasonic scaling at all three sites in both
groups, (p>0.05). In addition, the average samples of bacterial counts were reduced at 30-minute after
ultrasonic scaling at all three sites of both groups (p<0.05), but no difference between the counts for
the 60-minute after ultrasonic scaling interval (p>0.05). This study indicated that the efficacy of the
herbal lesser galanga mouthwash and 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate as a preprocedural rinse in reducing
bacterial aerosol produced was not significantly different; and there was significant reduction in bacterial
counts after ultrasonic scaling 30 minutes (p<0.05). The advantage of this study is to demonstrate that
the dental teams and patients have a choice for using herbal mouthwash.