Exercise 4C – Mouthwash

Group #4
Crystal Jade Mendoza
Justine Gonzales Millare
Steffi Muriel
Oslyn Opilas
Em Osias
Ojochenemi Peters
Tanja Philipp
Jamie Pooten

MOUTHWAS PRE POST

H & SALT
WATER
Tanja positive Positive
Peters Positive Positive
Steffi Positive Positive
Jade Positive Positive
Justine Positive Positive
EM Positive positive
Jamie Negative Positive
oslyn positive Positive

Objectives
 To know which among distilled water and teas is more effective as mouthwash.
 To know if mouth washing is important for oral hygiene.
 To define what is oil pulling
 To identify some herbal plants that is effective as alternative for mouth wash
 To identify the active ingredients of mouthwash and their corresponding function or
mechanism of action.

Introduction

Patients and oral health practitioners are faced with a multitude of

mouthwash products containing many different active and inactive ingredients.
Making informed decisions as to the suitability of a particular product for a
particular patient can be a complex task. Although many popular herbal products
have helped to control dental plaque and gingivitis, they have been used for a
short time and only as an adjunct to other oral hygiene measures such as
brushing and flossing. Various herbal products and their extracts such as Guava,
Pomegranate, Neem, Propolis, Tulsi, Green Tea, Cranberry, Grapefruit etc, have
shown significant advantages over the chemical ones. Natural mouthwashes may
offer significant advantages over the chemical ones. If such mouthwashes can be
formulated which can be easily prepared and used safely by people at home using
natural products, it may lead to improvement in the general dental health of the
population. This review is an attempt to outline such natural substances, which
may be used as effective mouthwashes.

1. Do you think that mouthwash is essential for proper oral hygiene? Or is brushing and flossing
enough?

Mouthwash is essential for proper oral hygiene because it has fluoride that helps reduce cavities
and periodontal diseases. Besides of making your mouth feel fresh and smell better, it reduces
the quantity and quality of plaques and bacteria that causes numerous health problems.
No matter how much you brush and floss, you can never eliminate all the germs and bacteria in
your mouth. Plaque and tartar will continue to build up, regardless of brushing, flossing and
rinsing. You may reduce your risks to a certain extent, which is the goal of brushing, but you
can't kill the difficult to eradicate organisms that take root in the tissue of your gums and mouth.
Only a thorough professional cleaning will ensure that, and ensure you're not getting new
cavities.

2. What is oil pulling? Do you think this is effective?

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification. It involves the use
of pure as agents for pulling harmful bacteria, fungus, and other organism out of the mouth,
teeth, gums and even throat. However, there are almost as many oil-pulling naysayers as there
are oil-pulling enthusiasts. To add to the confusion, since oil-pulling is benefits aren’t supported
by any credible scientific evidence, no credible source decisively debunks the practice. The
skeptics do make some good points though. For one, on a physiological level, even the large
veins under your tongue don’t carry enough blood to support the theory that the blood that’s
cleansed by the oil in your mouth will somehow positively affect the blood any other place in
your body.

3. Give ten herbal plants that can be potentially used as a mouthwash.

 Guava (Psidium guajava)- Guava leaves mouthwash was effective for aphthous ulcers in
terms of reduction of symptoms of pain and faster reduction of ulcer size. Further
 clinical trials comparing this mouthwash against other treatment options are
recommended.
 Pomegranate (Punica granatum)- Clinical studies have shown that this popular
antioxidant superstar attacks the causes of tooth decay at the biochemical level, with
remarkable vigour (5,6,7,8,9). When used regularly in combination with toothpaste that
has been reinforced with bioactive botanical extracts, pomegranate containing
mouthwash may fight dental plaque and tartar formation by inhibiting the activities of
the microorganisms that cause plaque.
 Neem (Azadirachta indica, A.indica) - Neem is revered by Ayurvedic practitioners to
maintain healthy teeth and gums. Used for centuries, Neem soothes and protects,
leaving even the most sensitive mouth feeling healthy, clean and refreshed. Commonly
known in India as the "Village Pharmacy," Neem twigs are frequently used to clean
teeth. Modern science has since validated the traditional uses of Neem Leaf for oral
care.
 Propolis- Propolis mouthwash has important antibacterial properties, to help maintain a
healthy mouth. Propolis is a complex, natural substance produced by Honey Bees. It
contains minerals, vitamins, organic acids and important flavonoids. Propolis is a
resinous substance that bees collect from the sap of trees and flower blossoms to use in
and around their hive.
 Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)- Tulsi is a small plant, sub-shrub which has multiple uses.
Ayurveda mentions the importance of medicinal uses of it. The leaves are quite effective
for the ulcer and infections in the mouth. A few leaves chewed will cure these
conditions. The herb is useful in teeth disorders. Its leaves, dried in the sun and
powdered, can be used for brushing teeth. It can also be mixed with mustered oil to
make a paste and used as toothpaste. This is very good for maintaining dental health
counteracting bad breath and for massaging the gums. It is also useful in pyorrhea and
other gum disorders. The anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties of tulsi make
it a powerful treatment for gum disease.
 Green tea (Camellia sinensis)- It can be used as a gargle or mouthwash to treat dental
decay, halitosis, laryngitis, mouth sores, plaque formation, sore throat, thrush, and
tonsillitis.
 Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)- a study published in the Journal of the American
Dental Association reported that a unique cranberry juice component, a high-molecular-
weight non dialyzable material, has the ability to reverse and inhibit the co-aggregation
of certain oral bacteria responsible for dental plaque and periodontal disease in vitro.
 Sodium bicarbonate- A mouthwash can be prepared by dissolving one teaspoon of
sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water. It is recommended in patients suffering from
xerostomia or erosion due to its ability to increase salivary pH and suppress the growth
of acid uric micro-organisms such as S. mutants.
 Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) extract- The grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) extract contains
antioxidants. Hence its application as a mouthwash can be explored.
   Yerba Buena or Mint (Clinopodium douglasii) - commonly known as Peppermint, this
vine is used as an analgesic to relive body aches and pain. It can be taken internally as a
decoction or externally by pounding the leaves and applied directly on the afflicted area.
4. List some common active ingredients of mouthwash and their corresponding functions or
mechanism of action.
 Alcohol- Sometimes a significant amount of alcohol (up to 27% vol) is added, as a carrier for
the flavor, to provide "bite". Because of the alcohol content, it is possible to fail
a breathalyzer test after rinsing although breath alcohol levels return to normal after 10
minutes. In addition, alcohol is a drying agent, which encourages bacterial activity in the mouth,
releasing more malodorous volatile sulfur compounds. Therefore, alcohol-containing
mouthwash may temporarily worsen halitosis in those who already have it, or indeed be the
sole cause of halitosis in other individuals.
 Benzydamine (Difflam)- In painful oral conditions such as aphthous stomatitis, analgesic
mouthrinses (e.g. benzydamine mouthwash, or "Difflam") are sometimes used to ease pain,
commonly used before meals to reduce discomfort while eating.
 Betamethasone- is sometimes used as an anti-inflammatory, corticosteroid mouthwash. It may
be used for severe inflammatory conditions of the oral mucosa such as the severe forms of
aphthous stomatitis
 Chlorhexidine digluconate- s a chemical antispetic and is used in a 0.12-0.2% solution as a
mouthwash. It has significant anti-plaque action, but also some anti-fungal action. [36] It is
especially effective against Gram-negative rods.[36] It is sometimes used as an adjunct to prevent
dental caries and to treat periodontal disease, [36] although it does not penetrate into periodontal
pockets well
 Essential oils- are oils which have been extracted from plants. They are used in some specialized
mouthwashes for halitosis, e.g. cetylpyridinium chloride.[39] Mouthwashes based on essential
oils could be more effective than traditional mouthwashes. [13] Cetylpyridinium chloride
mouthwash (e.g. 0.05%) has less anti-plaque effect than chlorhexidine and may cause staining of
teeth, or sometimes an oral burning sensation or ulceration.
 Fluoride- Fluoride mouthwashes are sometimes used in individuals who are at high risk of dental
decay. They usually contain about 1450 parts per million fluoride. The fluoride strengthens teeth
against decay.
 Sodium chloride (Salt)- Hot salt water mouth baths (or hot salt water mouth washes, sometimes
abbreviated to "HSWMW") are also routinely used after oral surgery, to keep food debris out of
healing wounds and to prevent infection. Some oral surgeons consider salt water mouthwashes
the mainstay of wound cleanliness after surgery
 Sodium bicarbonate (Baking soda)- is sometimes combined with salt to make a simple
homemade mouthwash, indicated for any of the reasons that a salt water mouthwash might be
used. Pre-mixed mouthwashes of 1% sodium bicarbonate and 1.5% sodium chloride in aqueous
solution are marketed,[37] although pharmacists will easily be able to produce such a formulation
from the base ingredients when required. Sodium bicarbonate mouthwash is sometimes used to
 remove viscous saliva and to aid visualization of the oral tissues during examination of the
mouth.

Conclusion

An attempt has been made to outline some of the commonly available herbs and plants, and certain
fruits, which are readily available, and can be used as effective mouthwashes by all. If people can use
and promote such cost effective measures of maintaining the oral health which are also devoid of any
untoward side effects, it may help in overcoming some common dental problems