Evaluation of Effectiveness of An Essential Oil Mouth Rinse in Improving Oral Health in Orthodontic Patients in Uttar Pradesh Population

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of Listerine (Johnson & Johnson pvt ltd India) mouthrinse in addition to the standard oral hygiene regimen (tooth brushing) has a beneficial effect for orthodontic patients in maintaining proper oral health. Materials and Methods: Patients within their first 6 months of orthodontic treatment were assigned either to the brushing (Group I; n=20) or Rinse (Group II; n= 20) group. Initially, all participants underwent an oral prophylaxis and were given instructions on oral hygiene maintenance. Measurements were recorded for the bleeding index (BI), modified gingival index (MGI) and plaque index (PI) that provided baseline values (T0). Subsequent measurements were taken at 3 months (T1) and 6 months (T2). Mean BI, MGI, and PI at T0, T1, and T2 were compared statistically between the groups. Results: The scores of BI, MGI, and PI over time were significantly different between the two groups. Patients who had Listerine in their daily oral hygiene regimen exhibited significantly lower scores for BI and MGI at T2 than the patients who only brushed. Conclusions: Use of a mouth rinse in addition to the standard oral hygiene regimen is found to be beneficial for orthodontic patients in maintaining proper oral health. Adding Listerine to the daily oral hygiene regimen reduces plaque accumulation and gingivitis development in orthodontic patients over a 6-month period.