Evaluation of antimicrobial effects of commercial mouthwashes utilized in South Korea

Streptococcus mutans is frequently associated with dental caries. Bacterial fermentation of food debris generates an acidic environment on the tooth surface, ultimately resulting in tooth deterioration. Therefore, various mouthwashes have been used to reduce and prevent Streptococcus mutans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of 4 commercial mouthwashes and those of 10% and 20% ethanol solutions (formula A, B, C, D, E and F) against Streptococcus mutans using biofilm and planktonic methods. The range of reduction in the viable cell count of Streptococcus mutans as estimated by the biofilm and planktonic methods was 0.05-5.51 log (P ≤ 0.01) and 1.23-7.51 log (P ≤ 0.001) compared with the negative control, respectively, indicating that the planktonic method had a stronger antibacterial effect against S. mutans. Among the tested formulations, formula A (Garglin regular® mouthwash) was the most effective against Streptococcus mutans (P ≤ 0.001).