Effect of Polyherbal Toothpaste on Dental Plaque, Gingivitis, and Salivary Antioxidant Levels: A Single-blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To compare the antiplaque, antigingivitis, and saliva antioxidant properties of commercially available polyherbal toothpaste with conventional toothpaste after 1 month of usage. Materials and methods: We conducted a randomized controlled single-blind trial among adolescents. About 80 adolescents were randomized into a test or control group using block randomization. Plaque and gingival indices were recorded, and unstimulated saliva was collected at baseline and 30 days after the intervention to assess salivary antioxidants. Results: About 79 adolescents completed the study out of which 45 adolescents were male. The intragroup comparison showed a significant reduction in the mean plaque and gingival indices at 30 days when compared to the baseline in both groups. There was no significant difference in the mean reduction of these indices between the test and control groups (p = 0.617 and 0.825), respectively. There was a significant decrease in the mean salivary malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) at 30 days when compared to baseline in both groups. However, the mean salivary total thiols (TT) significantly increased at 30 days compared to baseline in both groups. There were no significant differences in the mean differences of salivary MDA, NO, and TT between the test and control groups (p = 0.308, 0.852, and 0.543), respectively. Conclusion: Polyherbal toothpaste can be a suitable alternative in reducing plaque and gingivitis and enhancing salivary antioxidant levels.