Objective: To evaluate various rinsing protocols after brushing on the substantivity of the antimicrobial properties of meridol® toothpaste.

Methods: Thirty participants followed three protocols in a crossover randomised clinical trial. They used Meridol toothpaste twice daily for one week and rinsed after brushing with 1) Meridol mouthwash 2) tap water or 3) they did not rinse. A 2-week fluoride-free washout period was incorporated between the experimental periods.

Six hours after the last brushing (± rinse), buccal plaque samples were collected from upper molars 8 minutes after a 2-min 10% sucrose challenge. Lactate and acetate concentrations as indicators of antimicrobial activity were measured by capillary electrophoresis.

Results: showed no difference in acid concentrations after the washout periods: Average (±sd) lactate and acetate concentrations were 1.20 (±0.38) and 0.52 (±0.27) µmol/mg protein, respectively. After Meridol toothpaste followed by rinsing with Meridol mouthwash, lactate and acetate concentrations were significantly reduced (paired T-test, p=0.05) to 0.96 (±0.49) and 0.48 (±0.40). Lactate and acetate concentrations were 1.43 (±0.70) and 0.56 (±0.26) µmol/mg protein in the tap water group and 1.19 (±0.49) and 0.50 (±0.22) when rinsing was omitted. Under both conditions the values were not significantly different from those in the wash out period.

Conclusion: The use of Meridol mouthwash after tooth brushing resulted in a reduction of plaque metabolism expressed by reduction in acidogenicity for at least 6 hours.

This study was supported by GABA International, Switzerland.

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