Evaluation of efficacy of 0.1% of chlorine dioxide mouthwash against oral malodor – A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Oral malodor, also known as halitosis or bad breath can be defined as an offensive odor that emerges from the oral cavity and can be easily detected by others. The etiology of halitosis is multifactorial and can include several intra- and extraoral factors such as gingivitis, periodontitis, chronic sinusitis, nasal inflammation, diabetes mellitus, lung carcinoma, liver insufficiency, cirrhosis, uremia, trimethylaminuria, and postnasal drip. Chlorine dioxide associated with chlorite anion results in the oxidative consumption of amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, which are precursors of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). Thus, it can reduce the concentrations of VSCs which help in the reduction of oral malodor. Due to the lesser availability of literature to prove the effectiveness of this chlorine dioxide formula, this study is conducted to evaluate the inhibiting effect of commercially available chlorine dioxide-containing mouthwash – FRESHCLOR to combat oral malodor in patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted among the patients reporting at the outpatient department of periodontics who visited with the chief complaint of bad breath and bleeding gums at KAHER'S VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belagavi. Patients were selected according to inclusion criteria and divided into test and control groups. Post scaling Freshclor mouthwash was distributed to all test group participants. The organoleptic ratings for halitosis, gingival index (given by Loe H and Silness J, 1963), and plaque index (given by Loe H and Silness J, 1964) were recorded at baseline and 2 weeks for the group. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction in halitosis with a reduction of gingival and plaque indices at 2 weeks from baseline in the test group. CONCLUSION: With the results, it can be concluded that chlorine dioxide-containing mouthwash – freshclor is effective in reducing halitosis.