Effects on gingivitis of daily rinsing with 1.5% H2O2.

The purpose of this study was to compare 2 groups of adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances to determine whether once daily use of a mouthrinse containing 1.5% H2O2 along with toothbrushing would be better than toothbrushing alone in maintaining their periodontal health. The 2 groups of subjects were selected non-randomly but were matched for age and sex. The control group (N = 34) used toothbrushing and a mint-flavored 0.05% NaF mouthrinse once daily, while the treatment group (N = 25) used toothbrushing and a once daily rinse with a preparation containing 0.05% NaF and 1.5% H2O2 (Orthoflur). 2 calibrated clinical examiners made single-blind clinical assessments of the plaque index, gingival index, and bleeding tendency in 6 standard sites per subject. They also noted any generalized mucosal irritations or staining of the teeth or tongue. Assessments were made before appliances were placed (baseline) and 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months after appliances were placed. Results indicated that although there were no significant differences at baseline, the Orthoflur group had significantly fewer study sites with gingival indes or bleeding tendency scores greater than 1 than the control group from the 1-month through the 18-month examinations (P less than 0.01), and significantly fewer sites with plaque index greater than 1 and bleeding tendency scores of 2 or more from the 3-month through the 18-month examinations (P less than 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). No generalized mucosal irritations or clinically significant staining of the tongue or teeth were noted in either group during the study.