“Lemon grass oil mouth wash- A natural alternative”

Abstract

Aim and Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the anti-plaque efficacy of lemongrass oil mouthwash. It also assessed the antibacterial properties of lemon grass oil against Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) in vitro. Materials and Methods: Forty-five periodontally healthy subjects between the age group of 18 and22 years were enrolled in a 4-day plaque re-growth study. Subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., 15 in each group. Mouthwashes were labelled as A (0.25% lemongrass oil mouthwash), B (0.2% Chlorhexidine mouthwash) and C (placebo). Subjects were advised to refrain from any kind of mechanical oral hygiene procedure for four days. Plaque index (PI) was evaluated at baseline and on the fifth day. In vitro testing of lemon grass oil mouthwash was done against strains of Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Aggregatibactor actinomycetemcomitans, to evaluate the antimicrobial concentration of lemon grass oil mouthwash. Results: PI significantly increased from day 1 to day 5 (P < 0.05) in Groups A, B, and C. In inter-group comparison, there was a statistically significant difference between the three groups. However, chlorhexidine showed superior antiplaque activity. Lemon grass also demonstrated antiplaque activity, however, not as superior as chlorhexidine. In vitro test, lemon grass showed effective inhibition against all three bacterial strains Pi, Pg, and Aa at 0.01% concentration. Conclusion: Lemongrass oil mouthwash potently inhibits plaque formation and hence can be used as a natural herbal alternative. Key Words: lemongrass oil, antiplaque, antibacterial, chlorhexidine.