Clinical effect of a herbal dentifrice on the control of plaque and gingivitis: a double-blind study

The aim of this randomized, double-blind clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of the Paradontax dentifrice on the reduction of plaque and gingivitis. Subjects were randomly allocated into either the test group (n = 15, Paradontax) or the control group (n = 15, standard dentifrice with fluoride). Plaque levels were measured using the Turesky modification of the Quigley & Hein Plaque Index (PI), and gingivitis was evaluated with the Gingival Index (GI). Subjects were asked to brush their teeth with the allocated dentifrice, three times a day, for 21 days. There was no significant difference between groups in relation to the PI and GI medians, at baseline and at the end of the 21-day period. There was no significant reduction in PI in either the test or control groups. There was a significant decrease in GI in the test group. The authors concluded that there was no difference between the dentifrices in the reduction of plaque and gingivitis.