Effectiveness of stevia as a mouthrinse among 12-15-year-old schoolchildren in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh - A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 37 - 43
• Main Authors: Vandana, Kuna, Reddy, Vuyyuru Chandrasekhara, Sudhir, Kudlur Maheswarappa, Kumar, Krishna, Raju, Saraswathi Harikrishnam, Babu, Javvaji Narendra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01-01-2017; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Analysis; Antigingivitis; Antimicrobial agents; antiplaque; Children; Chlorhexidine; Clinical trials; Dental caries; Dentistry; Disease prevention; Elementary school students; Fluorides; Gingiva; Gingival index; Health aspects; Hospitals; Microorganisms; mouthrinse; Mouthwashes; Oral hygiene; Original; Pharmacy; Plaque index; Public health; Sodium; Sodium fluoride; Stevia; Stevioside; Students; Teenagers; India; Antigingivitis; antiplaque; mouthrinse
• ISSN: 0972-124X; 0975-1580
• DOI: 10.4103/jisp.jisp_54_17

The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of stevia as a daily mouthrinse among 12-15 year-old schoolchildren in Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh.
A randomized, controlled triple blind trial was carried out among 108 children in B. V. S Municipallity Girls High school in Nellore. Children were randomly allocated into four groups comprising 27 in each group. Four mouthrinses composed of 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate; 0.05% sodium fluoride, 10.6% stevioside and placebo were provided to the study participants. Plaque index, gingival index, and International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) II, respectively, were used for assessing oral condition. The mouthrinsing was carried out for 6 months.
Group C showed maximum reduction of 8% and 10% on plaque and gingival scores, respectively, followed by Group A and Group B. However, Group D participants showed 1.5% and 1.8% increase in plaque and gingival scores, respectively. Analysis of ICDAS scores at 6 months indicated that values recorded were same as baseline for all the three groups except that for Group D, there was an increase in the prevalence of cavitated lesion D
from 5.6% to 5.8%.
Stevia demonstrated very potent antiplaque and antigingivitis properties as compared to other mouthrinses at the end of 6 months trial.