Impact of periodontal mouthwashes on microbial load and periodontal indices during removable orthodontic treatment.

Removable orthodontic appliances may increase plaque accumulation and microbial load, yet the effectiveness of periodontal mouthwashes remains unclear. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate efficacy of periodontal mouthwashes on microbial load and periodontal indices in patients undergoing removable orthodontic therapy. Hence, eighty subjects were divided into groups receiving different mouthwashes, with assessment of plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) and bleeding index (BI) at baseline and follow-up. Use of antimicrobial mouthwashes resulted in reduced microbial load and improvement in periodontal indices compared to baseline values. Thus, we support periodontal mouthwashes as effective adjuncts for maintaining oral hygiene during removable orthodontic treatment.