COMPARISON OF ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF THREE TYPES OF MOUTHWASH, CONTAINING CHLORHEXIDINE-CHLORBUTANOL, ALCOHOL-ESSENTIAL OILS AND PROPOLISMENTHA OIL COMBINATIONS

Mouthwash is an antiseptic solution intended to reduce the microbial load in the oral cavity, although other mouthwash might be given for other reasons such as for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory or anti-fungal action. A study was carried out to compare the antibacterial and antifungal properties of three mouthrinse preparations both containing commercial used antiseptic combinations (chlorhexidine 0,100% + chlorbutanol 0,500% and alcohol 21,60% + essential oils) and one with natural active ingredients (propolis 2,00% + mentha oil 0, 042%). The antibacterial and antifungal activity of three types of mouthwash were tested on three microbial strains Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans by two alternatives of agar diffusion tests - "cup plate" technique and disc-diffusion test. The results showed the highest antimicrobial activity of the chlorhexidine-chlorbutanol combination. Mouthwash containing propolis with mint oil demonstrated activity only against S. aureus strain. It turned out that testing the antimicrobial activity of mouthwash with alcohol with essential oils with the agar diffusion method is not representative. For 24 hours with this mouthwash, no inhibition zones were observed in none of the strains at any concentration. Our assumption is that alcoholic solutions are exuding and bacteria starts to grow.