Western Society of Periodontics

Clinical Studies

Volume Number 4, 1995

A 6-month home-usage trial of 0.1% and 0.2% delmopinol mouthwashes (II) effects on the plaque microflora

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of delmopinol in the long-term, unsupervised home-use study. In it, 141 subjects were studied, from whom plaque was collected at baseline, 12, 24, and 26 weeks. There were three treatment groups: (1) 0.1% delmopinol mouthwash, (2) 0.2% delmopinol mouthwash, and (3) "mines active" control mouthwash. Volunteers rinsed for one minute twice a day for 24 weeks. Overall, there were no consistent effects on microscopic or total counts. There was significant reduction, however, in the proportion of dextran-producing streptococci in the active groups compared to the control group throughout treatment. There was no colonization by gram-negative aerobic bacilli in the active groups nor was there any decrease in susceptibility to delmopinol. Delmopinol appears to mediate its anti-plaque effect without causing a major shift in bacterial population, although dextran-producing bacteria appear to be affected, which may have relevance to this agent's mode of action. [S.L.]