Efficacy of a Herbal Toothpaste During Active Periodontal Treatment: A Clinical Study

Abstract

Backgound/Objectives: This study investigated the efficacy of a herbal toothpaste containing Aloe vera (test group) compared with a sodium bicarbonate toothpaste (active control group) and a standard toothpaste (benchmark group) on periodontitis treatment outcomes. Methods: Fifty-four periodontitis patients were randomly allocated into three groups. The patients received mechanical instrumentation and instruction on oral hygiene using a toothbrush with the toothpastes and dental floss. The patients were evaluated at baseline (T0), week 4 (T1), and week 12 (T2) after complete scaling and root planing. During the visits, the plaque score (PS), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were assessed and analyzed. Results: The comparison groups had similar PS and BOP means at baseline. At T1 and T2, both scores were reduced; however, there was no significant difference in PS among the three groups. A significant reduction in BOP among the groups was observed (p < 0.01) at T1. The PDs in all groups were significantly reduced after treatment. The CAL reduction was greater in the test group compared with the benchmark and the active control group. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the mean CAL among time points in the benchmark and the active control groups. Conclusions: The herbal toothpaste containing Aloe vera significantly decreased gingival inflammation, PD, and CAL over the standard and active control toothpaste in periodontitis patients during active periodontal treatment.