The plaque removal effects of single rinsings and brushings

Chemical plaque removal is one mechanism whereby an agent could improve oral hygiene and gingival health. As with toothpastes most agents, when delivered as rinses, would be considered adjunctive to mechanical tooth cleaning procedures. The aim of this study was to determine whether selected commercial rinses exhibited clinically significant plaque removal properties alone or when combined with toothbrushing with water or a toothpaste. A group of 12 volunteers took part in this single blind, randomized placebo-controlled, 12 cell cross-over study, employing 6 rinses. During each regimen subjects accumulated plaque from a zero baseline over 72 hours. Plaque removal was then measured by index and area after first a single rinse of product and second a subsequent brushing with water or toothpaste. Prebrushing rinsing removed less than 5% of the plaque with little difference between agents. No rinse was more adjunctive than water to postrinse brushings. Most statistically significant differences arose with the chlorhexidine rinse being apparently less effective. However, the possibility of a disclosing dye interaction cannot be discounted as explaining this anomalous result. This study could not support any claim of a direct prebrushing rinse benefit greater than that provided by water to mechanical plaque removal by any of the products tested.