COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF CHLORHEXIDINE BASED MOUTHWASH AND HERBAL MOUTHWASH ON THE MICROHARDNESS OF TWO DIFFERENT COMPOSITE RESINS AN IN VITRO STUDY

Aim and Objectives: This in vitro study was designed to comparatively evaluate the effect of a chlorhexidine based mouthwash and a herbal mouthwash on the microhardness of nanofilled and nanohybrid composite resin. Materials and Methods: 60 discs of nanofilled and nanohybrid composite resins were prepared, 30 for each type of composite. The specimens of each type of composite were divided randomly into three subgroups, each containing 10 specimens (n=10) as follows ? Subgroup I Control (Distilled water), Subgroup II Herbal based mouthwash (Hiora) and Subgroup III Chlorhexidine based mouthwash (Hexidine). The specimens were immersed in 20 ml of the mouthrinses and incubated for 12 hrs at 37o C. The specimens were then subjected for micro hardness measurement using Vicker?s hardness tester and the results were analysed statistically using ANOVA and unpaired t test. Results: Significant reduction in the microhardness was observed in both the groups after immersion in the mouth rinses compared to the control group and the reduction in mean VHN were as follows: Group I, GroupII and Group III. Conclusion: Both the mouthrinses showed a reduction in the microhardness of nanohybrid and nanofilled resin composite with Hexidine (Group III) showing the highest reduction in microhardness value.