Effectiveness of an indigenous paste in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients with Mild-to-Moderate Gingivitis – A randomized controlled trial

Karina S Chachlani; Arun Suresh Dodamani; Prashanth Yachrappa Vishwakarma; Gaurao Vasant Mali; Vardhaman Mulchand Jain; Anagha Agrawal

doi:10.4103/ijmo.ijmo_2_20

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Year : 2020 | Volume : 5 | Issue : 2 | Page : 3-4

Effectiveness of an indigenous paste in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients with Mild-to-Moderate Gingivitis – A randomized controlled trial

Karina S Chachlani, Arun Suresh Dodamani, Prashanth Yachrappa Vishwakarma, Gaurao Vasant Mali, Vardhaman Mulchand Jain, Anagha Agrawal
Department of Public Health Dentistry, ACPM Dental College, Dhule, Maharashtra, India

Date of Submission	14-Oct-2020
Date of Acceptance	17-Nov-2020
Date of Web Publication	29-Jan-2021

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Karina S Chachlani
Department of Public Health Dentistry, ACPM Dental College, Dhule, Maharashtra
India

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

DOI: 10.4103/ijmo.ijmo_2_20

Abstract

Background: Dental plaque has been known to be a reservoir of microorganisms and is considered as an etiological factor in the development of gingivitis and periodontal diseases. The aim is to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of a homemade indigenous paste using natural ingredients on plaque accumulation and gingivitis among adults at baseline, 7^th day, 14^th day, and 21^st day. Materials and Methods: The present study is a randomized controlled trial and consisted of 30 participants of the age group 18–40 years. Participants were randomly divided into two groups of 15 each. Group A (indigenous paste group) and Group B (control group) participants were given oral hygiene instructions and were demonstrated a modified bass brushing technique. Data were collected using plaque index (PlI) and gingival index (GI) for both the groups at baseline, 7^th day, 14^th day, and 21^st day. Results: The mean PlI scores and GI scores gradually decreased in both the groups on subsequent follow-ups. Conclusion: The present study showed a significant reduction in plaque in the indigenous paste group.

Keywords: Gingivitis, indigenous paste, plaque

How to cite this article:
Chachlani KS, Dodamani AS, Vishwakarma PY, Mali GV, Jain VM, Agrawal A. Effectiveness of an indigenous paste in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients with Mild-to-Moderate Gingivitis – A randomized controlled trial. Int J Med Oral Res 2020;5:3-4

How to cite this URL:
Chachlani KS, Dodamani AS, Vishwakarma PY, Mali GV, Jain VM, Agrawal A. Effectiveness of an indigenous paste in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients with Mild-to-Moderate Gingivitis – A randomized controlled trial. Int J Med Oral Res [serial online] 2020 [cited 2021 Feb 25];5:3-4. Available from: http://www.ijmorweb.com/text.asp?2020/5/2/3/308274

Introduction

The oral cavity has been described as “the window to general health.”^[1] It is the focal point for the interaction of the body with the external environment. Dental plaque has been known to be a reservoir of microorganisms and is considered as an etiological factor in the development of gingivitis and periodontal diseases.^[2],[3] Periodontal diseases are affecting all dentate animals.^[2],[4],[5] Studies have been conducted to investigate the role and efficiency of the locally injected Vitamin C in the treatment of persistent gingival inflammation which was found to be effective in reducing the inflammation.^[6] A study conducted to evaluate the treatment effect of an antioxidant–essential oil gel on patients with generalized gingivitis showed that it is an effective means of reducing inflammation.^{[7],[8],[9],[10]} Therefore, a paste that can be applied topically or taken orally in the form of smoothie prepared at home using natural ingredients beneficial for oral health can act as an adjunct to daily mechanical oral hygiene practices. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a homemade indigenous paste or smoothie in reduction of plaque accumulation and gingivitis among adults.

Materials and Methods

The present study was a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of a homemade indigenous paste using natural ingredients on plaque accumulation and gingivitis. The present study consisted of 30 participants of the age group 18–40 years. Participants were randomly divided into two groups of 15 each by lottery method. Written voluntary informed consent was obtained from the participants. Group A (indigenous paste group) was made to apply the paste on gingiva and teeth and massage it for at least 2 min for a period of 21 days twice a day after brushing and instructed to leave the paste in the mouth for at least 10 min after application. Group B (control group) was given oral hygiene instructions. Beforehand, scaling was performed for both the groups. Participants from both the groups were demonstrated and Data were collected using plaque index (PlI) (Loe, 1967) and gingival index (GI) (Loe H and Silness J, 1963) for both the groups at baseline, 7^th day, 14^th day, and 21^st day. The ingredients used for the preparation of a 100 ml paste were medium-sized banana, ½ cup green tea, ½ cup plain yogurt, 1 tbspn of ghee, 1 tbspn of fermented cod liver oil, and 1 tbspn coconut oil.

Results

[Graph 1] shows a comparison of PlI among the study and control groups. The intergroup comparison was done using independent t-test. The plaque score difference between Group A and Group B was −0.13 on the 7^th day (P = 0.061), −0.26 on the 14^th day (P = 0.001), and −0.41 on the 21^st day (P = 0.001). Overall, the comparison of PlI among Group A and Group B was statistically significant on the 14^th and 21^st days. [Graph 2] shows a comparison of GI among the study and control groups. The intergroup comparison was done using independent t-test. The GI score difference between Group A and Group B was −0.10 on the 7^th day (P = 0.513), −0.16 on the 14^th day (P = 0.288), and −0.18 on the 21^st day (P = 0.206). Overall, the comparison of GI among Group A and Group B was not statistically significant.

Discussion

In the present study, it was seen that the mean PlI and GI scores gradually decreased in both the groups on subsequent follow-ups. A review of available literature has revealed that no similar studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of such paste on gingivitis. A study conducted by Singh et al.^[2] to evaluate the efficacy of green tea mouthwash on gingivitis showed that there was a statistically significant reduction in the PlI scores and GI scores in the green tea mouthwash group. In the present study, on intergroup comparison, it was seen that there was a statistically significant difference in PlI scores between the two groups on the 14^th and 21^st days. A review of available literature has revealed that no similar studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of such smoothie/paste on gingivitis. On intergroup comparison, it was seen that there was no statistically significant difference in GI scores between the two groups at baseline, 7^th day, 14^th day, and 21^st day.

Conclusion

The smoothie used in the present study has shown some effect in the reduction of plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation in patients with mild-to-moderate gingivitis.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

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