Nigella sativa oil as a treatment for gingivitis: A randomized active-control trial

Objective: To assess the clinical anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial efficacy of Nigella sativa oil compared with chlorhexidine in patients with gingivitis. Methods: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted in patients having chronic generalized gingivitis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive Nigella sativa oil(n=18) or chlorhexidine(n=19). The following assessments were made on day 0 and day 15: plaque index, gingival index, gingival IL-6 and IL-18 levels were measured using ELISA, plaque colony-forming units, and alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus strains. Data were analyzed using parametric and non-parametric tests and Fisher’s exact test.Results: Both interventions reduced plaque index and gingival index scores(P<0.000 1). The Nigella sativa oil group was better at lowering IL-6(P=0.007 6) than the chlorhexidine group(P=0.145), although there was no change in IL-18 levels(P>0.05). The post-intervention plaque index and gingival index scores and inflammatory cytokine levels between the two groups were not significantly different. Both interventions caused a significant reduction in the plaque colony-forming units(P<0.000 1), reducing pathogenic bacteria: Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Streptococcus parasanguinis in the chlorhexidine group(50%)(P=0.103 1), and the Nigella sativa oil group(20%)(P=0.739 5). Conclusions: Nigella sativa oil had anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, reducing biofilm formation and disrupting the colonization of pathogenic bacteria essential for the progression of periodontal disease. Nigella sativa oil could offer an alternative therapy for treating gingivitis and may prevent associated systemic diseases and improve overall health outcomes.

The Antibacterial Effect of CMCTS-Containing Chewing Gum

Objective： This paper was designed to confirm the efficacy of chewing carboxymethyl chitosan（CMCTS）-containing gum in suppressing the growth of oral bacteria when compared to a CMCTS-containing mouth rinse. Methods：Fourteen healthy subjects were recruited from among the staff and students of Qingdao University Dentistry Department. Before the experiments saliva was collected from all subjects and bacteria counts determined. For the gum study, the subjects chewed CMCTS-containing gum for 5 min and then rested for 5 min. When testing the CMCTS mouth rinse, the subjects gargled with 10 mL of solution for 30 s, followed by resting for 9rain 30 s. These protocols were repeated five times over a 50 min period on the same day. Post-experiment saliva samples were then collected at the following times： 0, 30 and 60 min. Results： Chewing gum containing CMCTS or rinsing with a CMCTS-containing rinse significantly decreased oral bacteria counts. The total bacteria counts, total Streptococci counts, and mutans streptococci counts of saliva from subjects who chewed CMCTS-containing gum were significantly lower than saliva from subjects in the rinse group in all three sampling periods, except in the case of the total bacteria count in the 60 min samples. Conclusion：CMCTS-containing gum chewing has a greater antibac- terial effect than using a CMCTS-containing mouth rinse. The present findings strongly indicate that the application of natural materials such as chitosan and its derivatives is useful for better oral health.