Clinical and microbiological effects of 1% Matricaria chamomilla mouth rinse on chronic periodontitis: A double-blind randomized placebo controlled trial

Background: Several herbal mouth rinses are assessed in the literature as an adjunct to scaling and root planning (SRP) for the treatment of periodontal diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the clinical and microbiological effects of Matricaria chamomilla (MTC) mouth rinse with chlorhexidine (CHX) and placebo mouth rinse for the management of chronic periodontitis.

Materials and methods: This double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, clinical trial involved seventy five patients, suffering from chronic periodontitis, which were randomly divided into three groups: negative control (SRP + placebo), positive control (SRP + 0.12% CHX), and test group (SRP + 1% MTC mouth rinse). Mouth rinsing (adjunctive therapy) was continued for 1 month while clinical parameters (plaque index, gingival index, sulcus bleeding index, probing pocket depth [PPD], clinical attachment level, gingival recession [GR], stain index) and microbial colony forming units were evaluated at base line, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Results: All groups showed a significant change in parameters (except GR for placebo group) between base line and 3 months. MTC mouth rinse suggested added significant benefits over placebo group over the study period. However, it determined more but nonsignificant improvement in PPD (3.68 mm vs. 3.36 mm) and CAL (3.00 mm vs. 2.72 mm) as compared to CHX rinse at 3 months' period as compared to baseline.

Conclusion: Advantages of using test group were comparable to CHX associated group; therefore, MTC mouth rinse can be used as an effective adjunct during nonsurgical periodontal therapy for chronic periodontitis.

Keywords: Chronic periodontitis; mouth rinse; nonsurgical periodontal therapy; scaling and root planning.