Evaluation of an alum-containing mouthrinse in children for plaque and gingivitis inhibition during 4 weeks of supervised use.

Aluminum salts have demonstrated activity against oral bacteria and also have shown indications of inhibiting plaque and gingivitis. The aims of this clinical trial were to determine the effects of daily supervised rinsing with a specially formulated, alum-containing mouthrinse on existing plaque and gingivitis in children and to monitor its effect on the oral tissues and its acceptability to subjects. Using a double-blind, parallel design, 48 sixth-graders rinsed once daily for 30 sec under supervision with either a placebo or a mouthrinse containing 0.02 M alum while continuing their normal oral hygiene habits. Plaque and gingivitis were assessed and intraoral examinations were performed at 0, 2 and 4 weeks. The alum mouthrinse significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the amount of plaque relative to the placebo after both 2 and 4 weeks. Gingivitis and plaque thickness also were decreased, but the differences did not attain significance. No evidence of deleterious effects to the oral tissues was observed and the alum mouthrinse was well accepted by the children. This trial demonstrated that daily use of an alum-containing mouthrinse was safe and produced a significant effect on plaque that supplemented the benefits of daily toothbrushing. Thus, topically applied aluminum may have potential applications in preventive dentistry for controlling plaque.