Halitosis is the third most common oral condition perceived by the patients as pathologic, after caries and periodontal diseases. Although it is difficult to estimate the prevalence of halitosis in the population due to the different assessment methods, the available descriptive epidemiologic studies estimate that 30-50% of the population experience oral malodor. Pathologic halitosis most commonly (85%) originates from the oral cavity and is a result of bacterial deposits that cover the tongue or are found in the inflamed oral mucosa, under poor-quality restorations, orthodontic mechanisms, carious lesions or mucosal ulcers. Odor usually results from the microbial degradation of organic substrates present in saliva. This interaction generates malodorous volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), of which the three most common are: hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl-mercaptan (CH3SH) and dimethyl sulfide \[(CH3)2S\]. Orthodontic patients with fixed appliances are more prone to halitosis, due to the increased plaque accumulation and the increased amounts of available nutrients for the supragingival and subgingival microbes .
AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Mastic mouthwash on halitosis (Volatile Sulfur Compounds' levels, VSCs) as well as plaque and gingival indexes in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD: The study is a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group, randomized clinical trial. Thirty patients with fixed orthodontic appliances were randomly allocated at a 1:1 ratio, to either the mastic-mouthwash or the placebo-mouthwash group. Eligibility criteria included ages between 13 and 18, active orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances, good general health and total initial VSCs levels above the baseline level of 150ppb. The primary outcomes will be: (a) their subjective perception of their own malodor via questionnaires, (b) their objective VSCs levels (hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl-mercaptan (CH3SH) and dimethyl sulfide ((CH3)2S) through the OralChromaTM device and (c) oral hygiene assessed with the use of the Modified Silness and Löe Plaque Index (PI-M) and the Silness and Löe Gingival Index (GI). Measurements were taken at baseline (T0) and after 2 weeks (T1).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
30
All 30 patients will be randomly assigned to either the mastic mouthwash group A (Art of Nature Mastiha Mouthwash, Mastihashop, Greece) (n = 15) or the placebo mouthwash group B (from the same manufacturer) (n = 15) (Table 1). All patients will be asked to use the mouthwash twice a day (10 ml of mouthwash / 2 times a day for 30 sec for 14 days, every morning and every night after brushing) and to maintain their usual oral hygiene routine. The measurements will be done in the morning and at least three hours after brushing and without the use of the mouthwash by the participant on the day of the assessments.
All 30 patients will be randomly assigned to either the mastic mouthwash group A (Art of Nature Mastiha Mouthwash, Mastihashop, Greece) (n = 15) or the placebo mouthwash group B (from the same manufacturer) (n = 15) (Table 1). All patients will be asked to use the mouthwash twice a day (10 ml of mouthwash / 2 times a day for 30 sec for 14 days, every morning and every night after brushing) and to maintain their usual oral hygiene routine. The measurements will be done in the morning and at least three hours after brushing and without the use of the mouthwash by the participant on the day of the assessments.
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Dentistry, Departments of Orthodontics
Athens, Attica, Greece
Modified plaque index (PI-M)
The Silness and Löe index (Silness and Löe, 1964) does not take into account the pattern of plaque accumulation in orthodontic patients. To overcome this problem, Williams et al. (1991) divided the tooth into mesial, distal, gingival, and incisal regions in relation to the bracket and scored plaque in each region using the four codes of the original index (0 to 3). The values are summed to obtain a total score, which ranges from 0 to 12 for each tooth. This modified index is recommended for patients with fixed orthodontic appliances because it acknowledges the usual effects of orthodontic appliances on plaque distribution and has much greater categorical discrimination.
Time frame: baseline-2 weeks
Gingival index (GI)
The Gingival Index (GI) is a measure of the severity of gingivitis and is scored by measuring the amount of gingival inflammation, also considering redness and bleeding (Löe \& Silness, 1963).
Time frame: baseline-2 weeks
VSCs levels {hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl-mercaptan (CH3SH) and dimethyl sulfide [(CH3)2S].
VSCs levels {hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl-mercaptan (CH3SH) and dimethyl sulfide \[(CH3)2S\]} will be measured with the OralChromaTM device (NOVATRONIC Deutschland GmbH, Kölner Straße 102, D-51429 Bertogisch Gladbach). The organoleptic evaluation will be done by the patient, due to the current pandemic of the SARS-Covid 19 virus. This assessment will be subjectively based on a scale in printed questionnaires. The objective assessment of the T0-T1 VSCs levels will be done with the OralChromaTM. This chromatograph measured the concentrations of the oral gases H2S, CH3SH and (CH3)2S. The sample will be collected using disposable syringes (1 ml plastic syringes), which will be inserted into the patient's oral cavity. The patients weill be asked to close their mouth for 30 seconds before the samples collection. Then 0.5ml of air will injected from the syringe's intake into the measuring device.
Time frame: baseline-2 weeks
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