Comparing the Inhibitory Effect of Kefir Drink and Chlorhexidine Mouthwash against Oral Bacteria in Orthodontic Patients.

Background: The presence of orthodontic appliances in the oral cavity increases the number of cariogenic microorganisms, highlighting the risk of periodontal disease and dental caries. Many approaches can be employed to overcome this problem.

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the effect of kefir drink with chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash on the growth of oral bacteria in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Materials and method: In this single-blind clinical trial study, 30 candidates for orthodontic treatment were selected and randomly divided into two groups (N=15). The intervention group received 100 ml of Kefir drink twice daily, while the control group used 10 ml of 0.2% mouthwash for 20 days. Microbial sampling was done three times including before intervention, immediately after intervention, and 20 days after intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS software V.23 with a significance level of less than 0.05.

Results: The findings suggested that the number of bacteria in the CHX group was significantly higher than in the intervention group (p= 0.003). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups after 20 days (p= 0.148). Furthermore, the number of bacteria decreased significantly in both groups over time.

Conclusion: Both CHX and Kefir have antibacterial properties against oral bacteria.